CBM Seminar Series – Platinum Anticancer Prodrugs: New Stories from Old Drugs

The College of Biomedicine was pleased to host Prof. Guangyu Zhu, Head and Professor of the Department of Chemistry at CityUHK, for a seminar on “Platinum Anticancer Prodrugs: New Stories from Old Drugs” on 29 September 2025. Prof. Zhu shared insights from his pioneering research at the interface of chemistry and biology, focusing on the development of novel metal-based anticancer agents and cancer-specific nanomedicine.

In his talk, Prof. Zhu highlighted recent advances in Pt(IV) prodrugs, which offer controllable activation properties and superior antitumor activity with reduced side effects. He discussed strategies for photo- and sono-activation of these compounds and their potential applications in drug resistance, hydrogels, and protein labeling. The seminar attracted lively interest from faculty and students, sparking engaging discussions on future directions in anticancer drug development.