On December 17, 2014 Saratov State University officially opened its Remote controlled theranostics systems lab, founded in January 2014 as part of the grant “Remote controlled nanostructural systems for targeted drug delivery and diagnostics”.
The opening was attended by SSU President L.Yu. Kossovich, Deputy Minister for Industry and Energy O.N. Lutianova, Head of the Development Program of National Research University S.B. Venig, Director of Education and research Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems I.V. Kirillova, laboratory head, Professor of Queen Mary University of London G.B. Sukhorukov, deputy director of Education and research Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems D.A. Gorin, laboratory staff and Saratov enterprises representatives.
Deputy director of Education and research Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems D.A. Gorin opened the meeting and told about longstanding relationships between the University workers and world science representatives. SSU scientists have been working closely with G.B. Sukhorukov since 2003. About 50 SSU professors completed their professional training in Germany and Great Britain. All of them returned to Saratov State University and continue their work.
SSU President and Education and research Institute of Nanostructures and Biosystems scientific advisor L.Yu. Kossovich highlighted the importance of the new lab opening: “Megagrant is a very important event; inviting world leading scientists is possible only if both sides have longstanding scientific traditions”. Cooperation between G.B. Sukhorukov and University staff could bring about merging of the leading scientific schools and give a “burst effect”. The President wished lab workers great success in their work.
The new lab works in an important direction cooperating with local industry. “We want our innovations to be useful”, said D.A. Gorin. The regional Ministry appreciates these initiatives. “Some industrial companies in the region exist only because SSU has helped them sharing their innovations”, said Deputy Minister for Industry and Energy O.N. Lutianova. Saratov University is a valuable brand of the region. Saratov region Council for Science and Innovation discusses the possibility of creating Medical Equipment Manufacturers Association; “Remote controlled systems for theranostics” lab could become the platform for the development of this area.
Then the scientific advisor of the new unit G.B. Sukhorukov took the word. He shared the results of long-years work on the project that has been going on for decades. The scientists could make non-toxic structures that could interact with light, magnet field and ultrasound. Affected that way the structures could reach a designated point and release medicine. “In theory we know how to do it, we have to learn to do it in practice”, said the professor.
After the official presentation the participants visited the lab and saw the cutting-edge equipment at work.
The project’s main goal is to create interactive nanoengineering systems by assembling nanostructural materials that could ensure remotely controlled drug delivery and diagnostics.
The problem of targeted drug delivery is not new. Prof. G.B. Sukhorukov compares the project to a sci-fi movie: a microscopic submarine travels through the organism and treats it – deletes unwanted substances, injects the necessary ones, send information about the organism’s state and then disappears. This is the essence of the project put metaphorically.
The lab staff includes scientists from Russia, Egypt, Ukraine, and Slovenia. They have significant experience working in the leading scientific centers of Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Singapore, and China. The project’s head believes this international group will make it successful.
