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Neuroblastoma is a serious form of cancer affecting young children. Despite the severity of this disease, its research lacks substantial funding. For example, less than 4% of the federal National Cancer Institute research budget is dedicated specifically to childhood cancers. As a result, the medical community struggles to innovate effective treatments that address the specific needs of these young patients. Our project, HeartShield, aims to bridge this gap and we need your support!
We are focusing on improving the treatment of neuroblastoma, specifically with regard to a widely used chemotherapy drug, Doxorubicin, which is frequently used in neuroblastoma therapy. Although highly effective in treating tumors, Doxorubicin has severe side effects, including heart damage which can lead to lifelong consequences, such as heart failure. It's a dire situation, particularly for children, who are more susceptible to these effects later in life.
HeartShield is a solution that uses special particles to protect the heart. These particles are introduced into the body before Doxorubicin treatment and are guided to the heart using ultrasound. The particles then capture the drug before it damages the heart, reducing its toxic effects. We believe this innovative approach could significantly improve the survival rates and quality of life of young patients and we’ve already developed a prototype! (See Figure 1)
We need a minimum of $3,000 to continue with our project. This money will be used for important laboratory tests to test the safety and functionality of our solution in blood mimicking conditions. Achieving this goal will not only advance our project but also enable us to apply for more funding by generating critical preliminary data for translating this technology to clinical practice. We believe that this strategy could be expanded to protection against the other chemotherapeutic agents used in neuroblastoma treatment. Additional funds raised will be used to expand our research program and team to develop similar particles that can protect from other chemotherapy side effects.
This project’s impact does not stop at the laboratory doors. It has the potential to transform the lives of cancer survivors by removing the heavy burden of heart damage from their treatment. Moreover, it could significantly reduce related healthcare costs associated with chemotherapy treatment in other pediatric and adult cancers.
Our team is comprised of dedicated researchers from UT Dallas, backed up by our mentor, Dr. Shashank Sirsi, a renowned expert in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery. Our leading researcher, Ghazal Rastegar, is a third-year PhD student who has been passionately working on reducing Doxorubicin’s toxic effects.
UT Dallas’s Department of Bioengineering, known for its cutting-edge research, fully supports us. Our project aligns with their mission to improve healthcare through engineering solutions. Your support for our project not only helps us but also boosts the reputation of the University as a leader in biomedical research.
To learn more about our team, our work and Dr. Sirsi’s personal connection to neuroblastoma, you can follow the links below and contribute to our cause:
Thank you for helping us make a difference in the fight against neuroblastoma.