UB develops a hybrid nanotracer to detect potentially affected lymph nodes in real time during cancer surgery
The University of Barcelona (UB) is promoting an innovative project to develop a new hybrid nanotracer capable of facilitating the detection of potentially affected lymph nodes during oncological surgery.
The initiative, selected in the Proof of Concept (PoC) call of the UB Innovation Promotion Fund (F2I), is led by Dr Ana Belén Caballero Hernández, professor at the Faculty of Chemistry, in collaboration with Dr Sergi Vidal Sicart, specialist in Nuclear Medicine at Hospital Clínic Barcelona.
The project, entitled “Multimodal Nanotracer for Expanding Real-Time Navigation in Cancer Surgery”, is one of the four projects selected in this edition of the F2I grants and will receive €25,000 to advance its technological validation. The proposal focuses on improving real-time radioguided surgery, especially in head and neck or gynaecological tumours, where current technologies present significant limitations.
Improving lymph node detection and enabling less invasive surgery
In many types of cancer, sentinel lymph nodes are the first sites where metastases can be detected. Being able to locate them accurately during surgery is key to enabling more precise tissue removal and reducing unnecessary interventions. However, currently used tracers often have low sensitivity, diffuse rapidly through tissues, or do not perform adequately in more difficult-to-access tumours.
The technology developed by UB combines fluorescence and radioimaging in a single hybrid tracer based on albumin, a protein commonly used in clinical settings. This combination makes it possible to visualise lymph nodes both before surgery and during the procedure in real time, improving their delineation and providing surgical teams with greater precision and flexibility.
“Our goal is to provide surgeons with more precise visualisation of the sentinel lymph node and to expand the use of this type of guided surgery to tumours where currently available tools are not sufficiently efficient,” explains Dr Caballero. “This could enable less invasive procedures, the removal of only the necessary tissue, and improved patient recovery.”
A need identified in the operating room
The project stems from a need identified directly in the operating room by Dr Sergi Vidal Sicart, specialist in radioguided surgery at Hospital Clínic Barcelona. The collaboration between professionals from different disciplines —chemistry, nuclear medicine and oncology— has been key to designing a solution aimed at solving real clinical problems.
“Working directly with professionals who experience these needs in the operating room has allowed us to develop a solution closely focused on real clinical practice. It is highly motivating to see how research can respond to specific problems and have a tangible impact on patients,” says Dr Caballero, highlighting the value of the multidisciplinary work carried out jointly with Hospital Clínic.
Thanks to the F2I grant, the research team will be able to advance the validation of the technology and demonstrate its potential in environments closer to clinical practice. The project is currently at TRL3 stage, corresponding to proof of concept, and aims to pave the way for future collaborations with hospitals and biomedical companies.
Connecting research with society
The F2I Proof of Concept grants are aimed at UB researchers leading transfer projects in which the University owns or co-owns both the background knowledge and technology, as well as the results for which funding is requested.
The F2I programme is part of the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation’s knowledge transfer strategy, which works to connect UB research with industry and generate innovations with social, economic and environmental impact.
This activity is part of the project “Implementation programme of the UB–FBG Knowledge Transfer Plan (2025–2028), IMPACTE UB-FBG” (operation code UR68-8121), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union, with the support of the Department of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia, within the framework of the Catalonia ERDF Programme 2021–2027.