Fluorescent Polymer Nanoparticles for Nano-Imaging and Sensing

有了这个奖项，化学测量和成像（CMI）项目将支持克莱姆森大学的杰森·麦克尼尔开发新的成像方法，使其更容易可视化复杂的环境，如单个细胞或活组织。这项研究的重点是开发一种特殊制备的颗粒，这种颗粒是由一种特定的塑料制成的，当它发出光时，它就会发光。刺激。在这项工作中开发的一些粒子具有感知被成像系统的其他特性的能力，例如局部pH值或局部离子浓度。这项工作通过新设备和新技术的发展对生物医学领域产生了广泛的影响，这些新设备和新技术将使以新的方式观察生命系统内部成为可能。这项工作也可能有助于提供新的工具来研究小型设备的内部结构，比如快速电子器件中的半导体。从这项研究中获得的知识将有助于改善许多设备的功能，如发光显示器和光伏电池。该项目的重点是可调荧光纳米粒子的传感和高分辨率的生物成像。从共轭聚合物合成可定制纳米粒子的新方法正在开发中。这些粒子显示出光学特性和传感能力的结合。这项工作还包括开发特别适用于这些纳米颗粒的显微成像方法。纳米粒子的特殊化学结构赋予其高荧光亮度和不同寻常的光学特性，如单步光电开关、高度非线性荧光和通过多个能量转移过程的传感放大。与含有重金属的纳米颗粒相比，这些颗粒的毒性也更低。人们正在开发成像方法，利用纳米颗粒的光学特性，以获得分辨率为几纳米的细胞和组织内部的清晰图像和化学信息。纳米粒子还将用于敏感的化学传感应用。

With this award, the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) program is supporting Jason McNeill of Clemson University to develop new imaging methods that will make it easier to visualize complex environments, such as individual cells or living tissue. The research is focused on the development of specially-prepared particles made from a certain kind of plastic that gives off light when it?s stimulated. Some of the particles being developed in this work have the capability of sensing other properties of the system being imaged, such as the local pH or local ion concentration. This work is having a broad impact on the biomedical field through the development of new devices and techniques that will make it possible to see inside living systems in new ways. The work may also help provide new tools for looking inside small devices such as semiconductors in fast electronics. The knowledge gained from this research will help to improve the functioning of a multitude of devices, such as light-emitting displays and photovoltaic cells.The project focuses on tunable fluorescent nanoparticles for sensing and high-resolution bioimaging. New methods for the synthesis of customizable nanoparticles from conjugated polymers are being developed. These particles display a combination of optical properties and sensing capabilities. The work also involves the development of microscopic imaging methods especially adapted for use with these nanoparticles. The specific chemical structure of the nanoparticles imparts high fluorescence brightness and unusual optical properties such as single-step photoswitching, highly non-linear fluorescence, and sensing amplification via multiple energy transfer processes. The particles also exhibit lower toxicity compared to nanoparticles that contain heavy metals. Imaging methods are being developed to take advantage of the optical properties of the nanoparticles in order to obtain sharp images and chemical information inside cells and tissue, with a resolution of a few nanometers. The nanoparticles will also be tuned for sensitive chemical sensing applications.