Layla Adeli
Palisades Charter High SchoolClass of 2023Pacific Palisades, California
About
Hi! I'm Layla, and I am a junior at Palisades Charter High School. I love learning about biology, chemistry, and history, and am very passionate about educating myself about cancer biology in particular. My goal is to continue combatting the difficult realm of cancer through lab work or by being an oncologist. In my spare time love reading, running cross country, learning more about coding and programming, relearning how to play chess, and playing the violin! *I am so excited to be sharing my Polygence project on Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostics, and would love to share my findings of this fascinating (and sometimes confusing) sect of cancer therapy! I hope you can attend my presentation during the Polygence Symposium on Saturday September 18, 2021!*Projects
- "Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostics" with mentor Nina (July 26, 2022)
Layla's Symposium Presentation
Project Portfolio
Nanotechnology in Cancer Therapeutics and Diagnostics
Started Jan. 29, 2021
Abstract or project description
Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal cells that rapidly divide, evade cell death, and can metastasize across an organism’s body. There are many hallmarks of cancer, such as avoiding immune destruction, replicating indefinitely, and destabilization of the genome, all of which pose as possible targets for cancer therapies. Due to the unstable nature of cancer, therapy and imaging are often difficult to perfect. For instance, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and radiotherapy––the three most common forms of cancer therapy––all can suppress cancer growth to an extent. However, these therapies can be toxic to healthy tissue by spreading harmful chemicals or radiation throughout the body. To combat this, new nanoparticle-based technologies, including immunotherapy and fluorescent imaging, have been used to specifically target cancer cells and encapsulate harmful drugs prior to release. This novel approach lowers toxicity and risk of off-target effects while enhancing therapeutic efficacy. In this project, I review multiple types of nanoparticle-based therapies that use nanotechnology to conjugate and combine cancer therapies. Among these methods are chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy, fluorescent imaging agents, and radiation in combination with nanoparticles to create more efficient and effective cancer therapies and imaging techniques.