Responsive Oncotherapeutics

Our work

Professor Nomikou's research demonstrates the potential of site-specific and minimally-invasive treatments based on low-intensity ultrasound (sonodynamic therapy) and light (photodynamic / photothermal therapy). The Responsive Oncotherapeutics group aims to optimise therapeutic modalities using nanotechnology and maximise their potential in clinic.

The group research has mainly focused on the design and development of polyglutamate-based nanoparticle formulations for improving the delivery of sensitizers to tumours in order to maximize the effect of site-specific tumour ablation using ultrasound and/or light. The effect of these treatment modalities in the induction of antitumour immune responses that can further augment tumour ablation are also being investigated in the context of their studies.

More recently, Professor Nomikou's team developed strategies to improve tumour responses to sonodynamic therapy, by identifying cancer cell defences of varying nature, depending on the tumour microenvironment conditions, and by subsequently applying combination treatment with agents that inhibit the relevant defence mechanisms. Thus far, the work has been focused on the treatment of prostate, pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

Group members

Research students

Funding / Partnerships

Research is funded by the UK Research Councils (EPSRC, MRC), the Royal Society, as well as UK-based cancer charities (e.g., Bowel & Cancer Research). Dr Nomikou’s work has also been supported by private donations.

Selected publications

1. Farrell, S., Nicholas, D., Nesbitt, H., Logan, K., Nomikou, N., et al. (2021). A tumour responsive, oxygen-generating nanoparticle to combat hypoxia in pancreatic tumours. British Journal of Surgery, 108 (9), znab430.235.
2. Hadi, M.M., Farrell, S., Nesbitt, H., Thomas, K., Kubajewska, I., Ng, A., Masood, H., Patel, S., Sciscione, F., …, Nomikou, N. (2022) Nanotechnology-augmented sonodynamic therapy and associated immune-mediated effects for the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol.
3. Nicholas, D., Nesbitt, H., Farrell, S., Logan, K., Nomikou, N., et al. (2021). Exploiting a Rose Bengal-bearing, oxygen-producing nanoparticle for SDT and associated immune-mediated therapeutic effects in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 163, 49-59.
4. Hadi, M.M., Masood, H., Sciscione, F., Patel, S., Nomikou, N., et al. (2021). Investigating the performance of a novel pH and cathepsin B sensitive, stimulus-responsive nanoparticle for optimised sonodynamic therapy in prostate cancer. J Control Release, Jan 10;329:76-86.
5. Nomikou, N. (2020). Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis. US Patent Application, 16/385591.
6. Logan, K., Foglietta, F., Nesbitt, H., Nomikou, N., et al. (2019). Targeted chemo-sonodynamic therapy treatment of breast tumours using ultrasound responsive microbubbles loaded with paclitaxel, doxorubicin and Rose Bengal. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 139, 224-231.
7. Nomikou, N., Feichtinger, G.A., Saha, S., Nuernberger, S., et al. (2018) Ultrasound-responsive gene-activated matrices for osteogenic gene therapy using matrix-assisted sonoporation. J Tissue Eng Regen Med, 12: e250– e260.
8. Tarassoli, S.P., MacRobert, A., ..., Nomikou, N., et al. 2017. Cathepsin B-degradable, NIR-responsive nanoparticulate platform for target-specific cancer therapy. Nanotechnology, 28 (5).