研究领域

Physical Chemistry

Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles We are currently developing novel probes for advanced fluorescence applications based on nanoparticles consisting of one or more conjugated polymer molecules. The nanoparticle size can be controlled over the range of ~3 nm in diameter (single polymer molecules) to ~100 nm in diameter. These nanoparticles have unique optical properties and many possible biological imaging applications such as single nanoparticle sensors, tracking of single biomolecules, and ultra-resolution imaging. Conjugated polymer nanoparticles are arguably the brightest small fluorescent nanoparticles--roughly 30 times brighter than similar-sized CdSe quantum dots. The nanoparticles also exhibit highly efficient energy transfer. We are currently developing a number of sensor architectures that take advantage of the extraordinarily high brightness and energy transfer characteristics of these nanoparticles. example one Left: Photo of various polymer dot nanoparticles suspended in water, under UV excitation. Right: AFM of polymer dot nanoparticles dispersed on a mica substrate. Intracellular Single Molecule Dynamics Our development of ultra-bright nanoparticles has made it possible to detect the fluorescence of isolated nanoparticles 5-10 nm in diameter inside a living cell. We have demonstrated 1 nm tracking resolution in cells at video rate. The high brightness, relatively small size, and excellent photostability of the nanoparticles are ideal for either short or long-term tracking of biomolecules with subwavelength precision inside living cells, where autofluorescence and scattering effects typically drown out the fluorescence signal of individual dyes and nanoparticles, rendering single molecule tracking difficult or impossible.

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