Researchers in the SmartCoat project are using Innovative approach to the treatment of cancer innovative nanoparticles to transport small In the Nano-Argovia project SmartCoat, researchers have interfering RNA into cancer cells. started to investigate a novel method for shuttling RNA-based therapeutics speci昀椀cally to tumor cells in order to downregu- late speci昀椀c genes that drive proliferation and malignancies in cancer. They are using innovative nanoparticles (SmartCoats) “The ongoing project with to transport small interfering RNA (siRNA) that can knock out FHNW and PSI is a cornerstone speci昀椀c genes. RNA interference is a natural process through of the innovation of which a disease-causing gene can be eliminated in a highly spe- Palto Therapeutics.” ci昀椀c manner. This mechanism enables precise and personalized Dr. William L. Wishart, treatment of various life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Director, Palto Therapeutics Inc. The SmartCoats protect the siRNA from enzymatic degradation and from interactions with immune cells during circulation in the body. Their speci昀椀c design also ensures that the siRNA is taken up only by targeted cancer cells. These can- cer cells have speci昀椀c structures (shuttling receptors) on their surface that enable binding and subsequent uptake of the SmartCoat-siRNA complexes into the cell. In this way, the RNA fragments only enter the degenerated cells and can exert their regulatory e昀昀ect there. Cooperation with: Palto Therapeutics AG // FHNW School of Life Sciences // Paul Scherrer Institute Project description: https://bit.ly/4bR9s1Z SNI Annual Report 2023 39