New Anticancer Therapeutics Based on Luminescent Transition Metal Complexes

Details

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. Over 50% of cancer tumours are treated with platinum-based metal complexes, like cisplatin and its derivatives. While these chemotherapeutics have been hugely successful, many forms of cancer are intrinsically resistant to the chemotherapeutics and others can rapidly acquire resistance to these treatments. We have identified new ruthenium-based metal complexes that are promising leads for cancer treatment. Because they work in a very different way to platinum-based drugs they are active in resistant cancer cells such as cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer. In this multidisciplinary project you will gain experience – and be trained in – organic and inorganic synthesis, and a range of cell biology skills, including various forms of state-of-the-art microscopy.