Development and study of new generation of ultrabright fluorescent FRET-based sensing nanoparticles

荧光是生物学和医学上强有力的光学工具。虽然大多数荧光团用于成像，但其中一些也可用于检测特定离子的存在。荧光团也可以被功能化以附着在特定的化学结构上。虽然是非常理想的，但创建可以功能化并作为传感器工作的分子荧光团是极其困难的。荧光纳米颗粒（NPs）通过具有荧光传感核心和可功能化表面提供了独特的组合。PI建议开发新一代明亮荧光二氧化硅纳米粒子，它将用作传感器，并可与各种分子功能化。提出的混合荧光纳米粒子（NPs）是新颖的，由PI首创。NPs亮度的显著提高可以实现许多以前不可能实现的应用。提出的超亮混合NPs将成为许多生物医学应用的强大工具，这些应用无法用荧光染料解决。教育方面的影响将包括他的研究直接暴露给他的研究生和博士后，项目负责人已经并将继续让本科生参与研究。他将把研究成果纳入他所教授的现有课程中，并将继续在高中开展现有的推广工作和公开演讲。

1605405 Fluorescence is a powerful optical tool in biology and medicine. While the majority of fluorophores are used for imaging, some of them can also be utilized to detect the presence of particular ions. Fluorophores can also be functionalized to adhere to specific chemical structures. While being highly desirable, it is extremely difficult to create molecular fluorophores which can be functionalized and work as sensors. Fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) offer a unique combination by having a fluorescent sensing core and a functionalizable surface. The PI proposes to develop a new generation of bright fluorescent silica NPs that will work as sensors and be functionalizable with a variety of molecules. The proposed hybrid fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) are novel and pioneered by the PI. The significantly improved brightness of the NPs could enable many applications that were previously impossible. The proposed super bright hybrid NPs would become a powerful tool for many biomedical applications that are not addressable with fluorescent dyes. The educational impact will include the direct exposure of the research to his graduate student and his post-doc on the grant, the PI has and will continue to involve undergraduates in the research. He will incorporate the research findings into existing courses he teaches and will maintain existing outreach efforts and public presentations in high schools.