A golden opportunity: enhancing radiotherapy outcomes for men with localised prostate cancer

Grant Information

Institute - Queen's University Belfast
Researcher - Professor Jonathan Coulter
Grant Award - £ 376,156
Duration of Funding - 2022-2025
Status - Complete
Reference - RIA19-ST2-008

Why did we fund this project?

• Radiotherapy can be an effective treatment for men with localised or locally advanced prostate cancer.
• However, while it is successful for many, the cancer returns in approximately 20–30% of men.
• At Queen’s University Belfast, Professor Jonathan Coulter’s team is researching tiny gold particles, called gold nanoparticles, which make prostate cancer cells more sensitive to radiotherapy and easier to destroy.
• After successfully engineering gold nanoparticles that more effectively target prostate cancer cells, the team's next goal was to develop a biodegradable implant that gradually releases the nanoparticles throughout a man's radiotherapy treatment.
• This implant uses an approach developed by Professor Helen McCarthy, and builds upon a prior PhD studentship we awarded to Jonathan Coulter back in 2014.

What did the researchers do?

• The team first created several implants made from different materials and tested which one performed best.
• After loading the implants with nanoparticles, the team tested whether they could be successfully released and enhanced the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to radiotherapy.
• Lastly, the team placed the implants into mice with cancer to see whether the released gold nanoparticles could spread throughout the cancer.

What did the researchers achieve? 

• The team identified a material with optimal characteristics for the implant.
• They then demonstrated that gold nanoparticles could be steadily released from implants made from this material, enhancing the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to radiotherapy.
• Finally, in mice, the implants released gold nanoparticles that successfully spread throughout the cancer.

How will this benefit men?

• Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of prostate cancer treatment, but in 20–30% of men, the cancer comes back.
• If clinically proven, an implant containing gold nanoparticles could make radiotherapy more effective without increasing treatment burden, giving men more time to enjoy the things they love.