NYU Abu Dhabi develops “Smart” theranostic molecules for cancer

UAE—Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed a new class of smart molecules capable of both detecting and treating cancer, offering a potentially safer and more targeted approach to patient care.

Their findings appear in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, one of the most respected publications in chemical research.

The work centres on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a widely used diagnostic tool that allows doctors to visualise tumours inside the body.

Conventional MRI agents help with diagnosis but play no role in treatment.

The NYU Abu Dhabi team changed that by engineering molecules that perform both functions within a single system.

How the molecules work

Unlike standard drugs, which tend to be small and structurally simple, these molecules feature interlocked configurations that resemble knots and rings.

This complex architecture allows them to behave in a uniquely targeted way once inside the body.

Research scientist Thirumurugan Prakasam, from the Trabolsi group at NYU Abu Dhabi, synthesised the molecules from manganese and organic components.

The molecules remain dormant in healthy tissue but activate specifically inside tumours, which maintain a slightly more acidic environment than surrounding cells.

Once triggered, they release manganese ions that sharpen MRI contrast while simultaneously producing a therapeutic effect that damages cancer cells — all without disturbing healthy tissue.

Targeting the brain’s toughest tumours

One of the most significant findings is that these molecules can cross the blood-brain barrier, a notoriously difficult obstacle for most drugs and imaging agents, and accumulate directly in glioblastoma tumours.

Glioblastoma is among the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain cancers, and existing contrast agents often struggle to image it with sufficient clarity.

The ability of these molecules to achieve both sharp imaging and a measurable therapeutic effect in this setting marks a notable advance.

Lead researcher Farah Benyettou emphasised that the team’s primary goal was to enable doctors to see cancer clearly and treat it simultaneously, describing the precision targeting of brain tumours as a particularly exciting development.

A safer alternative to Gadolinium

The manganese-based compounds also address a long-standing concern in MRI diagnostics.

Gadolinium, the metal most commonly used in MRI contrast agents, can accumulate in the body over time and cause adverse effects in some patients.

Manganese offers a safer alternative with a comparable imaging profile.

Professor of Chemistry Ali Trabolsi noted that the distinctive structure of these molecules gives them capabilities that conventional drugs simply cannot replicate, and that the work brings the fields of diagnosis and treatment meaningfully closer together.

The research received support from the core technology platforms at NYU Abu Dhabi.