TumoR microEnvIronment Normalization FOR enhanCed photodynamic thErapy
H2020 HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01 “TumoR microEnvIronment Normalization FOR enhanCed photodynamic thErapy” (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01, 101152646, “REINFORCE”)
Abstract
The progression of cancer is closely associated with alterations in the mechano-cellular phenotype and in the structure and mechanical properties of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in a complex and not well-understood manner. Desmoplasia, a tumour-associated fibrotic reaction, is responsible for tumor stiffening, poses a major barrier to effective drug delivery. Although novel therapeutic strategies that target cancer cells are emerging, their efficacy varies due to intra- and inter-patient variability as well as tumor heterogeneity. Notably, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is gaining prominence as a compelling alternative. This two-stage treatment harnesses both light energy and a specialized drug (photosensitizer, PS) to target cancer cells upon activation by a specific wavelength of light. However, the effectiveness of PDT is greatly compromised by various resistance factors originating from the complex TME. These factors can present several biological barriers, including desmoplasia. In this project, we propose the use of TME normalization treatment with approved anti-fibrotic drugs in combination with PDT. We aim to test the hypothesis that the combination of anti-fibrotic drugs that remodel and normalize the TME with PDT can increase the PDT efficiency. The specific research objectives are focused on breast cancer (BC) and includes in vitro study of the effect of different components of PDT treatment on BC cells, in vivo study of the effectiveness of the combination of PDT with anti-fibrotic treatment in murine BC models and mathematic modelling to optimize the combination therapies. In the proposed project, the fellow will acquire scientific and complementary skills according to his personalized career development plan and through advanced training, international and inter-sectoral mobility will reach a position of professional maturity in research.
The fellow : Stylianos Vasileios Kontomaris
Biography
Dr. Stylianos Vasileios Kontomaris received a degree in Physics in 2008 from the University of Patras (Greece) and a Master of Science in Microsystems and Nanodevices in 2010 from the National Technical University of Athens (N.T.U.A.). Moreover, he received his Ph.D. in the area of Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering and Nanotechnology (February 2016) from the National Technical University of Athens (School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biomedical Optics & Applied Biophysics Laboratory). He is the author of more than 58 peer reviewed journal papers in a wide range of scientific fields, including, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, and physics (h – index 15, Google Scholar). In addition, he is the author of 6 research papers in Conference Proceedings and he has also been invited in more than 12 national and international conferences to present research activities in the field of Nanotechnology and Biomedical Engineering. He has worked as a Lecturer in Greek Fire Service Academy (2017) and as a research associate at the Biomedical Simulations and Imaging (BIOSIM) Laboratory of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (N.T.U.A.) (2018 -2019). Since September of 2016, he is also a Senior Lecturer in Athens Metropolitan College (A.M.C.) (Faculty of Engineering and Architecture). In addition, since September of 2021 he is also the Program Leader of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Course of Athens Metropolitan College. Since July of 2021, he is the C.E.O. of BioNanoTec LTD. He has worked in several research projects. In particular, he participated in the project entitled ‘Development, installation, and management of a network for measuring non-ionizing radiation from mobile telephony’ (funded by the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of N.T.U.A.), and in the project entitled ‘Provision of recording and control services for the publication of the results of electromagnetic radiation’ (also funded by the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of N.T.U.A). In addition, he is the coordinator of the project 3D NANOBIOSAMPLES /CONCEPT/0521/0069 (3D Characterisation Of The Nanomechanical Properties Of Biological Samples) funded by the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation. In July 2024, he joined European University Cyprus (School of Sciences) as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow (project ‘REINFORCE: Tumor Microenvironment Normalization for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy’).
Presentation
Dr. Kontomaris presented the project during the Spring 2024 Info Day of Cancer Mechanobiology and Applied Biophysics Group
Publications
- Paper 1 of the project: Kontomaris, S.V.; Malamou, A.; Stylianou, A. Accurate Modelling of AFM Force-Indentation Curves with Blunted Indenters at Small Indentation Depths. Micromachines 2024, 15, 1209. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15101209
- Paper 2: Kontomaris, S.V.; Malamou, A.; Stylianou, A. A new method for AFM mechanical characterization of heterogeneous samples with finite thickness. Journal of Mechanics 2024, 40, 552-564. https://doi.org/10.1093/jom/ufae047
- Paper 3: Kontomaris, S.V.; Malamou, A.; Stylianou, A.,Simplifying Data Processing in AFM Nanoindentation Experiments on Thin Samples, Eng, 2024, 6(2), 32, https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4117/6/2/32
- Paper 4: Kontomaris, S.V.; I. Psychogios, Malamou, A.; Stylianou, A., Monitoring the Distance and Velocity of Protons in a Medium for Biomedical Applications Using a Straightforward Mathematical Approach,Sci 2025, 7(2), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/sci7020049
- Paper 5: I. Psychogios, Kontomaris, S.V., Malamou, A.; Stylianou, A.,
A Novel Approach to Calculate the Range of High-Energy Charged Particles Within a Medium, Atoms, 2025, 13 (5), https://doi.org/10.3390/atoms13050038
Conferences
- Kontomaris, S.V., Stylianou, A (2025) “Overcoming challenges in the AFM mechanical nanocharacterization of soft heterogeneous biological materials”, AFM BioMed Conference 2025, 8th-11th April 2025, Barcelona, Spain (podium)
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