# Developing Targeted Therapeutic Nanosystems to Treat Metastatic Colon Cancer

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $279,075

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract: Developing Targeted Therapeutic Nanosystems to Treat Metastatic 
Colon Cancer 
The long-term goal of this research is to create a nanostructure that can target colon cancer including its 
metastases, while delivering a therapeutic agent. In this project, we seek to develop a nanosystem that 
can target Claudin-1, a transmembrane protein overexpressed in colon cancer and its metastases. The 
project will test the hypothesis that fiber-like nanostructures can be used to target Claudin-1 efficiently. 
The project consists of three aims. The first specific aim focuses on the synthesis and characterization of 
peptide amphiphiles that can form nanostructures in water. Diverse nanostructures, micelles and fibers, 
will be prepared and characterized using transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy 
among other approaches. Toxicity, binding affinity and cell internalization of a library of nanostructures 
containing the Claudin-1 targeting peptide will be assessed. Computational tools to modify the claudin-1 
targeting peptide will be used to guide optimization of nanostructure targeting. The in vivo targeting 
efficacy of selected systems will then be examined. The encapsulation efficiency of different anticancer 
drugs inside the nanocarriers that demonstrate the best performance (based on toxicity, stability and cell 
binding) will be assessed. Finally, the dose-dependent toxicity of drugs encapsulated in selected 
nanostructures against colon tumor cells will be evaluated in comparison to free drug alone.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9920182
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121316-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Martin Miguel Conda Sheridan
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $279,075
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-03-01 → 2020-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9920182

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9920182, Developing Targeted Therapeutic Nanosystems to Treat Metastatic Colon Cancer (5P20GM121316-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9920182. Licensed CC0.

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