During the first funding phase, the thermoresponsive nanogels were modified to allow accurate control over the temperature at which they begin to shrink. In particular, nanogels consisting of two semiinterpenetrated polymers with different functions show promise: the inner polymer can convert light from the near-infrared range into heat, which causes the scaffold polymer that responds to heat to shrink.

The researchers have demonstrated in experiments that this heat can kill cancer cells. Besides the polymers that can transform light to heat, the scientists were also able to develop other materials based on certain architectures of gold nanoparticles that can do the same thing.

These nanogels are suitable not only for the hyperthermia process, but also as active drug carriers. During the coming two years, the scientists plan to investigate them in combination with medicines that can be encapsulated in the nanogel and forced back out after shrinkage. In addition, the scientists are attempting to harness certain functional groups within the body for targeted transport to tumor cells.