14.05.2024

Professor Andreas Herrmann, a leading researcher at the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, has been granted an ERC Advanced Grant totaling €2.5 million by the European Research Council (ERC). This funding will support his research into the use of biocompatible ultrasound for medical applications over the next five years.

Traditional methods like optogenetics and photopharmacology utilize light to activate drugs and control protein functions. However, their effectiveness is limited as light cannot penetrate deep into body tissues.

Image: Two people looking at a tablet while wearing lab coats and protective glasses in a laboratory setting; Copyright: Hannes Woidich/DWI – Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien

Using ultrasound to release and activate drugs from DNA-based drug delivery systems - this is what Andreas Herrmann's team will be working on over the next five years thanks to funding from an ERC Advanced Grant.

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The SONOPHARMAGEN research project

The research will focus on developing new control systems for activating substances at greater tissue depths. Herrmann and his team plan to create DNA-based carrier systems that can be loaded with bioactive substances sensitive to ultrasound. Upon ultrasound exposure, these carriers will release the substances, enabling precise control over cellular functions.

Potential applications in medical treatment

Explaining the clinical significance, Andreas Herrmann stated, "We are talking here about ultrasound as it is used in a clinical environment and is not harmful to cells or tissue." His research holds potential for major advances in diabetes research, cancer immunotherapy, and tissue regeneration, targeting precise and controlled treatment applications.

This grant marks Herrmann’s third ERC award, following his first ERC Advanced Grant in 2016 and an ERC Starting Grant in 2009. The funding from the ERC, part of the EU's Horizon Europe program, recognizes established top researchers and supports research projects.

A New Paradigm in Pharmacotherapy

In 2021, Herrmann, along with his colleague Robert Göstl, published their initial findings in Nature Chemistry. They successfully tested their technology on various drugs, including antibiotics, cancer treatments, and coagulants. Herrmann's vision is to achieve targeted drug delivery with minimal side effects, significantly enhancing the effectiveness and safety of medical treatments.

With this substantial support, Andreas Herrmann's research is set to transform the landscape of pharmacotherapy, potentially leading to the establishment of sonopharmacology as a vital new field in medical science.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: DWI - Leibniz-Institut für Interaktive Materialien

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