Rising Stars of Medicine at UMW
2025-07-04
Student Research Group awarded
2025-07-28
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which is commonly used to treat skin cancers, may have a new application in the fight against psoriasis. This chronic inflammatory disease not only robs patients of healthy skin but also of their quality of life.
Dr. Sebastian Makuch from the Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology at the Medical University of Wrocław has developed an innovative method in which glycoconjugation, i.e., the combination of a photosensitizer with a glucose molecule, plays a key role. Why sugar? Because cells affected by psoriasis consume more glucose than healthy cells, allowing the drug to be delivered precisely where it is needed.
The application of modified zinc phthalocyanine in laboratory studies and on animal models produced excellent results – psoriatic changes were reduced, and the PASI index (a measure of disease severity) improved. Significantly, the new method reduces the pain and burning sensation that often accompany classic PDT.
– There are more stages of research ahead, but we are on the right track to create an effective, safe, and more accessible therapy, says Dr Makuch.
The developed method can also be applied to treat other skin diseases characterized by excessive cell proliferation. The UMW team is already planning further research and clinical trials.
