Dynamics and Steering of Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles in Simple and Branched Vessels: Simulation & Experiment (DyNano)

利用超顺磁性氧化铁纳米颗粒（SPIONs）进行磁性药物靶向治疗（MDT）是一种有效的方法，可以增加肿瘤组织的药物递送量，从而减少药物总量和治疗相关的副作用。虽然该方法的有效性已经在研究中得到证明，但针对个别情况调整和优化该方法的方法仍然缺乏。因此，本应用的目的是为这种针对患者的优化奠定基础：与已经在放射治疗中成功实践的程序相比，MDT的磁场将在未来根据患者的血管结构和肿瘤特征进行优化：最大化药物到达肿瘤组织的比例。为此，将开发SPIONs的运动和基于磁场的转向的生理物理模型，作为有限元模型实施，并在拟议的项目中进行实验验证。该模型应允许优化一个或多个电磁铁的时变场强和位置，以考虑目标区域内的颗粒浓度。在该项目中，将研究具有单个和多个分支的通道系统的转向，以及从容器到周围组织的过渡。这将为将来将优化方法转移到临床应用中的给定血管和肿瘤模型提供基础。模拟和优化工具的数学算法开发是应用数学III （AM3）主席在Friedrich-Alexander-Universität erlangen - n<s:1> rnberg （FAU）的责任。在整个项目过程中，该模型将在实验的基础上得到验证和扩展。相关的实验装置将由FAU的电子工程研究所（LTE）和埃尔兰根大学医院的实验肿瘤学和纳米医学部门（SEON）联合开发。LTE负责SPION浓度的测量和粒子转向设置，SEON负责纳米粒子和血管模型，包括在人类脐带动脉上的实验。

Magnetic drug targeting (MDT) using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) is an effective method for increasing drug delivery to tumour tissue in cancer therapy, thereby reducing the total amount of drug and the side effects associated with the therapy. While the efficacy of the approach has already been proven in studies, approaches to adapt and optimise this method to the individual case are still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this application is to lay the foundations for such patient-specific optimisation: Comparable to the procedure already successfully practised in radiotherapy, the magnetic fields for MDT shall be optimised in future on the basis of the patient's vascular structure and the characteristics of the tumour: The proportion of the pharmaceutical that reaches the tumour tissue shall be maximised. To this end, a physiological-physical model of the movement and magnetic field-based steering of SPIONs shall be developed, implemented as a Finite-element model and experimentally validated in the proposed project. This model shall allow to optimise the time-variable field strength and position of one or more electromagnets with regard to the particle concentration in a target area. Within the project, the steering in channel systems with single and multiple branchings as well as at the transition from the vessel into the surrounding tissue will be investigated. This will provide the basis for transferring the optimisation approach to given vascular and tumour models in clinical application in future. The mathematical-algorithmic development of the simulation and optimisation tool is the responsibility of the Chair of Applied Mathematics III (AM3) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). Throughout the course of the project, this model will be validated and extended on the basis of experiments. The associated experimental setups will be developed jointly by the Institute of Electronics Engineering (LTE) of FAU and the Section for Experimental Oncology and Nanomedicine (SEON) of University Hospital Erlangen. LTE is responsible for the measurement of SPION concentration and for the particle steering setup, SEON for the nanoparticles and the vascular models including experiments on human umbilical arteries.