Research at the Emory-Georgia Tech Nanotechnology Center for Personalized and Predictive Oncology is part of a national effort to use the power of nanotechnology to help develop personalized diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  

The center is one of seven National Cancer Institute (NCI) Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence. The center serves as a “discovery accelerator,” striving to reduce the time between basic discovery and “proof of concept” nanotechnology research.

Nanotechnology, coupled with the genomic understanding of human cancers, offers the promise of detecting cancer much earlier than current methods. It also opens the door to treatments tailored for individuals as well as new classes of drugs for cancer treatment.

Worth noting: Nanotechnology deals with research and technology development at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular levels. A nanometer is equivalent to one-billionth of a meter.  

Institutions involved: Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Research focus: The center’s research focuses on diagnosing two aggressive types of prostate and breast cancer because of their high mortality rates. The research includes a special emphasis on developing new nanoparticles to detect molecular changes in bone metastasis, a common outcome of advanced cancers that do not respond to therapy. Research areas also include the use of nanotechnology for in vivo imaging, tissue biopsy and treatment.

GRA investment: Emory and Georgia Tech are recruiting two GRA Eminent Scholars for the center’s staff. GRA has also provided matching funds to attract this national center to Georgia  

External funding: The center is funded primarily through a $19 million, five-year grant from the National Cancer Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health.

Web site: http://www.wcigtccne.org