Cancer remains a major public health problem, representing the second leading cause of death worldwide. Amongst the different type of cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal forms in humans, due to late diagnosis and limited treatment possibilities. Therefore, improved treatments for PDAC patients are urgently warranted. Similarly, mesothelioma is a rare but aggressive disease, difficult to diagnose for the long latency period before clinical signs. The standard therapeutic approaches include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. However, the overall median survival is about one year. Another global health issue is represented by drug-resistant infections, accounting for hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide. The present dissertation aims to evaluate novel approaches to counteract drug resistance, a major cause of failure for both conventional chemotherapy and standard antimicrobial agents.