Biophotonics: Nanoengineered Contrast Agents for Biophotonics

该项目利用纳米颗粒技术的最新进展来开发创新的造影剂，这种造影剂可以使用无创方法进行光学检测，并针对疾病的特定分子特征。所提出的造影剂-纳米壳和纳米发射体-具有理想的光学和化学性质的光学成像。这些粒子的光学响应可以精确和系统地在包括可见光和红外光谱区域在内的宽带上变化。极其敏捷。光共振的可调性完全是纳米壳所独有的：在其他分子或纳米颗粒结构中，光消光特性的共振是无法系统地实现的。设计。此外，纳米颗粒具有高度的生物相容性，蛋白质（如抗体）很容易结合到它们的表面。为了开发纳米颗粒作为光学成像造影剂的潜力，研究人员将研究一类新型外源性造影剂，该造影剂的设计和优化旨在解决临床重要的检测前列腺癌的问题。侵袭性肿瘤。

0221544DrezekThe proposed project leverages recent advances in nanoparticle technologies to develop innovative contrast agents which can be optically interrogated using noninvasive approaches and targeted to specific molecular signatures of disease. The contrast agents proposed - nanoshells and nanoemitters - possess ideal optical and chemical properties for optical imaging. The optical response of these particles can be precisely and systematically varied over a broad band including the visible and infrared spectral regions. The extremely agile. tunabilityof the optical resonance is completely unique to nanoshells: in no other molecular or nanoparticle structure can the resonance of the optical extinction properties be systematically. designed. Moreover, the nanoparticles are highly biocompatible and proteins (such as antibodies) are readily conjugated to their surfaces. To develop the potential of nanoparticles as contrast agents for optical imaging, the investigators will study a novel class of exogenous contrast agents designed and optimized to address the clinically important problem of detection of pre.invasive neoplasias.