Matilde De Campo
Treatment of glioblastoma using polydopamine nanoparticle–mediated hyperthermia.
Rel. Valeria Chiono, Gianni Ciofani. Politecnico di Torino, Master of science program in Biomedical Engineering, 2026
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most aggressive primary brain tumors, characterized by marked intratumoral heterogeneity, therapeutic resistance, and limited efficacy of conventional treatments. Hyperthermia has emerged as a promising strategy capable of inducing direct tumor damage and sensitizing cancer cells to standard therapies. However, many inorganic photothermal agents raise concerns regarding long-term persistence and biocompatibility. In this context, bioinspired and biodegradable nanoplatforms represent an attractive alternative. This thesis explores the development of a patient-specific photothermal platform based on polydopamine nanoparticles (PDNPs) for GBM treatment. Polydopamine was selected for its biocompatibility, strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption and high photothermal conversion efficiency. PDNPs were synthesized via self-polymerization of dopamine and subsequently coated with cell membranes (CM-PDNPs) derived directly from GBM patient cells to allow homotypic targeting of tumor cells.
Comprehensive physicochemical characterization was performed, including size distribution, morphology, surface charge and optical properties
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