Mohsen Mehrabi

Today, common protocols in cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, are hardly satisfactory due to their specific drawbacks, such as surgical wounds, chemotherapy drug resistance, and some chronic symptoms of radiation therapy, etc. In the meantime, photodynamic therapy has received a lot of attention as a new method for cancer treatment with fewer side effects. Two things should be taken into considered in this new treatment method: 1. The production of the photosensitizer with high efficiency and low cost, which is easy to access for these patients. 2. This substance should be excited at a wavelength that, in addition to less time, can penetrate deeply into the skin and also does not harm the body. In this research, an attempt is made to provide conditions so that both of the above cases can be realized. for this purpose, the composite of copper sulfide nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots/mesopores silica nanoparticles loaded with the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin is produced, and their potential in cancer treatment is investigated simultaneously with two methods (photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy). Considering the advantages and disadvantages of graphene production methods, the hydrothermal method was chosen due to its compatibility with the environment, ease, and the possibility of mass production with a view to commercialization in the future. Also, for the production of copper sulfide and mesopores silica nanoparticles, methods were used that, despite their simplicity, do not require expensive equipment and high purity materials are obtained. In this research, light-reactive copper mono-sulfide as a photosensitizer, graphene quantum dots as an excellent drug absorber, hollow silica mesopores nanoparticles as a delivery factor, and doxorubicin as a sample drug were selected. In addition, the low price of this composite facilitates its practical applications due to its easy and low-cost manufacturing method compared to other photos