Beyond Spectral Detection: Engineering SUPER Dot Probes for High-Throughput Discovery

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Molecules that are altered as a result of a pathological condition are generally present in very low abundance, and pose a “needle-in-a-haystack” problem. Current detection, quantification and localisation technologies use fluorescent probes that are limited by sensitivity and analysis time. This project will develop a new generation of nanophotonic luminescent probes (Strong Upconversion Photo-stable Encoded nano-Radiators (SUPER) Dots), based on purpose-engineered up-conversion nanocrystals that are ultra-bright and have low background interference, high specificity, speed, and large-scale multiplexing capacity. These probes will allow microscopy and flow cytometry to measure hitherto undetectable rare-event molecules and cells, opening new frontiers for the discovery of new biomarkers.