Master of science in pharmacy Elena Markova

Avhandlingen er tilgjengelig her! The doctoral thesis! Prøveforelesning over oppgitt emne holdes kl. 10.15, samme sted:   “Targeting cancer tissue with radioligand therapy (RLT) and its effect on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and immune system”  Prøveforelesningen vil også bli strømmet/the trail lecture will also be streamed. Disputasen starter kl. 1215 i Auditorium Cortex. Disputasen vil bli strømmet her. Opptak av disputasen vil være tilgjengelig i et døgn. The defense will be streamed here. A recording of the disputation will be available for 24 hours.

Populærvitenskapelig sammendrag av avhandlingen:

Cancer remains a major challenge, affecting millions worldwide. Traditional treatments like chemotherapy often harm healthy cells and face resistance from tumors. In this research, we explore tiny, drug-carrying particles called liposomes to improve cancer treatment by working with the immune system. Instead of avoiding immune cells, we designed liposomes that interact with them to enhance drug delivery.

We studied how different liposome designs affect their uptake by immune cells in the blood. By fine-tuning size and composition, we developed formulations that efficiently reach target cells. We also loaded liposomes with a molecule (nor-NOHA) that helps restore immune function by preventing tumors from suppressing the body's defenses.

Additionally, we created a method to track liposomes in the body using a radioactive marker, allowing real-time imaging of their distribution. This research paves the way for smarter, more precise cancer treatments that harness the immune system, offering hope for more effective and personalized therapies.

Hovedveileder
Førsteamanuensis Rune Sundset, Institutt for klinisk medisin, Det helsevitenskapelige fakultet, UiT Norges arktiske universitet. 

Biveiledere
Forsker Sjoerd Hak, NTNU.
Professor Natasa Skalko Basnet, UiT.
Montserrat Martin-Armas, UiT.

Bedømmelseskomité
Professor Thomas Lars Andersen, Technical university of Denmark - 1. opponent.
Seniorforsker Andreas Tue Ingemann Jensen, Technical university of Denmark – 2. opponent.
Professor Sigrid Brækkan, Institutt for klinisk medisin, Det helsevitenskapelige fakultet, UiT Norges arktiske universitet - leder av komité.

Disputasleder: Førsteamanuensis Åsa Birna Birgisdottir, Institutt for klinisk medisin, Det helsevitenskapelige fakultet, UiT Norges arktiske universitet