Biophotonics: Next Generation of Ultrabright Nonorganic Markers for Ultrasensitive Fluorescent Biosensors

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

0118053 Nayfeh The objective of the proposed research is to develop biophotonic markers for fluorescent biosensors that are smaller, brighter, less fragile, and more practical than existing markers. The specific components of this research include: (1) an examination of the time dynamics of emission, photostability, and bleaching under a variety of incident excitation intensities, in the UV, visible, and near-infrared range of frequencies, (2) an examination of the solubility of particles and their integrity of brightness under diverse environmental conditions, such as those encountered in vivo, and (3) the development of cladding methods to improve biocompatibility, (4) develop methods to refine synthesis and scale the throughput to meet high-demand commercial applications, and (5) examine the feasibility of modifying the particles by attaching additional molecules to their surfaces to produce "smart" particles that are able to seek out specific biological targets, for imaging, targeted drug delivery, or destruction of a pathogenic invader.