According to the statistics of the National Health Commission of China in 2015, there are 7 million cancer patients in China, and there are 1 million new cases each year. Many cancers lack effective early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the development of effective early diagnosis and treatment of cancer has important scientific and social value.

The degree of glycosylation on the cell surface during cell carcinogenesis changes significantly. For example, sialylation overexpresses on the surface of cancer cells. Taking advantage of such difference, we have developed selective fluorescence/Raman imaging analysis and cancer-targeted photothermal therapy for cancer cells/cancer tissues based on monosaccharide-imprinted nanomaterials (Figure 1). On the basis of existing biomimetic recognition technology, we will develop innovative biomimetic recognition technology and introduce cutting-edge physical principles such as plasmonic effect to prepare light-, heat- and magnetic responsive advanced biomimetic recognition nanomaterials, and develop innovative approaches for cancer targeted imaging analysis and therapy. In addition, we will develop nanomedicine and nucleic acid aptamer drugs that block or regulate specific signaling pathways in terms of cancer-associated signaling pathways and immune signaling pathways.

Figure 1. Fluorescence imaging analysis of cancer cells based on differences in expression of monosaccharides (A) and schematic diagram of cancer-targeted photothermal therapy (B).