Personalized Nanotech Cancer Treatment

Meet Eli Varon, a PhD student at Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Engineering whose research focuses on developing a technology that will significantly improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment. "This is a personalized technology based on the use light sensitive nanoparticles that is followed by a predictive machine learning model.”

Varon, who's conducting his research under the supervision of Prof. Orit Shefi, explains that combining nanotechnology with radiation can be applied as a local cancer treatment. This method relies on the administration of a photosensitizer or photothermal agent, which can absorb an electromagnetic radiation and convert it into heat or a destructive chemical reaction. "My goal is to create a personalized medical treatment with nanotechnology radiation that will be more accurate and efficient for cancer patients.”

"Based on my results, we can now provide a machine learning based personal prediction model in a combined nanotechnology radiation treatment. The model will offer laser power combined with radiation duration that will maximize the efficiency of the treatment and the safety of the patient."

Varon holds a bachelor’s and master's degree with honors in biotechnology, is currently an engineering doctoral candidate, and has been a researcher at Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials since 2016.

His works have been presented at four conferences and he has authored six articles in international journals, some of which have led to commercial patents. During his studies at Bar-Ilan, Varon has won an array of scholarships and awards, including a unique scholarship for PhD students from Teva Pharmaceuticals, the Nanotechnology Scholarship, the President's Scholarship for Outstanding PhD Students, and the Best Poster Presentation Award at the Nano.IL.2021 International Conference.

As part of his research under Prof. Orit Shefi, Varon also supervises several graduate students in electrical engineering and is a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering. Regarding his doctoral thesis, Varon said: "It's a groundbreaking field. I want to help cancer patients with the knowledge I acquired at Bar-Ilan. The combination of nanotechnology and machine learning is the future of the medical world."