Designing microorganisms able to harness their magnetic properties to be guided within the human body, reach solid tumours, contribute to diagnostic monitoring and to the targeted release of therapies. This is the challenge of MagBIO - Living magnetobots for targeted theranostics to tackle metastatic solid tumours, a European project that brings together 18 European and US academic partners with the aim of developing a new theranostics platform, an approach that integrates diagnosis and therapy into a single solution. MagBIO will focus on some of the most common cancers in Europe, including pancreatic, breast, lung and colorectal cancer.
Funded with €1.2 million through the programme Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Staff Exchanges, the project coordinated by Aston University (UK) will involve an interdisciplinary team of 67 researchers from 18 European and US organisations. Among the partners is the University of Bologna, with a research group led by Federico Alberini, a Professor at the Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”.
Magnetobots are “alive”: they will be developed from magnetotactic bacteria, microorganisms that occur naturally in aquatic environments and produce tiny magnetic particles inside them called magnetosomes. The project aims to harness their natural ability to move around and thrive in low-oxygen environments, a hallmark of tumour tissue.
The aim is to modify the surface of these bacteria to carry anticancer drugs, liposomes and molecules that can stimulate the immune system. Magnetobots can be guided towards the tumour via external magnetic fields and monitored along their route using diagnostic imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging.
“This project is an example of how complementary knowledge can make it possible to achieve an ambitious goal,” says Professor Alberini. “By sharing the expertise and facilities of European universities and research groups, with the support of companies, a research hypothesis can be turned into something concrete.”
The University of Bologna will help develop the technology behind MagBIO, combining advanced measurement tools with microbial bioprocessing and addressing the challenges of scaling up, from laboratory experiments to larger-scale production.
The project will also involve the Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari” (CHIMIND) and the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), including the research group led by Professor Paolo Blasi.
The Department of Industrial Chemistry "Toso Montanari" - CHIMIND will deal with aspects related to bioprocess control, advanced measurements and the development of production processes. By studying reactor fluid dynamics and scale-up strategies, the group will work to make the cultivation of magnetotactic bacteria more controllable, reproducible and sustainable, one of the key challenges for future technology transfer towards industrial applications.
The Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology will focus on developing drug delivery and targeted release systems, drawing on its expertise in the design and characterisation of a range of micro- and nanoparticles, including biodegradable, lipid-based, polymeric and metallic platforms. The research lines also include the development of superparamagnetic nanoparticles and the green one-pot synthesis of oleate-coated iron oxide nanoparticles, with potential applications in the field of theranostics.
In addition to its biomedical objectives, MagBIO aims to develop a sustainable technology from the earliest design phases, integrating aspects related to safety, the efficiency of production processes and waste reduction. Through secondments (periods of exchange and collaboration among consortium partners) the project will also promote knowledge-sharing among its 34 early-career and 33 experienced researchers, helping train the next generation of specialists in advanced medical technologies.
