Nanomedicines are extensively explored for cancer therapy. By delivering drug molecules more effectively and more selectively to pathological sites, and by attenuating their accumulation in healthy organs and tissues, nanomedicines assist in improving the balance between (chemo)therapy efficacy and toxicity. The tumor accumulation of nanomedicines is traditionally ascribed to the EPR effect, which is highly variable, both in animal models and in patients. To address issues associated with tumor targeting heterogeneity, and to advance cancer nanomedicine clinical translation, we are working on systems and strategies to monitor and modulate tumor-targeted drug delivery. In the present lecture, several of these strategies will be highlighted, including image-guided interventions to prime tumor blood vessels and the microenvironment, as well as the use of imaging and tumor tissue biomarkers for patient stratification. In addition, a presentation of ongoing work focusing on better understanding the ability of nanomedicines to target metastases. Altogether, our efforts aim to establish rational and realistic ways forward towards promoting the performance and translation of cancer nanomedicines. This comprehensive approach seeks to enhance the efficacy and clinical applicability of nanomedicine-based cancer treatments

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will understand how nanomedicines can be used to enhance activity by improving delivery of therapeutic agents to tumor sites will avoiding healthy, non-target tissues
• Attendees will be introduced to using imaging and tumor biomarkers to inform development of nanomedicines
• Attendees will gain insights into complexity associated with engineering nanomedicines for both imaging and drug delivery purposes
• Attendees will gain knowledge associated with factors that are critical to the translation of nanomedicines.

Twan Lammers, D.Sc., Ph.D.

Twan Lammers obtained a D.Sc. in Radiation Oncology from Heidelberg University in 2008 and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Utrecht University in 2009. In the same year, he started the Nanomedicine and Theranostics group at RWTH Aachen University. In 2014, he was promoted to full professor of medicine at RWTH Aachen University Clinic. His group aims to individualize and improve disease treatment by combining drug targeting with imaging. To this end, image-guided (theranostic) drug delivery systems are being developed, as well as materials and methods to monitor tumor growth, angiogenesis, inflammation, fibrosis and metastasis. He has received multiple scholarships and awards, including ERC starting, consolidator and proof-of-concept grants, the CRS Young Investigator Award, the Adritelf International Award, the Belgian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences International Award, and the JNB Trailblazer Award. He served as the president of the Controlled Release Society in 2023-2024, and he has been a council member of the European Society for Molecular Imaging for almost 10 years. He is a member of the editorial board of 10 journals, and acts as associate editor for JCR, DDTR and MIB. Since 2019, he is included in the Clarivate Analytics list of Highly Cited Researchers.