Professor Louis Bouchard and colleagues have developed nanodiamonds (ND) which can be used to perform fully correlated optical and electron microscopy.
Invention: Universal Bio Diagnostic, Drug Delivery Device & Marker for Correlated Optical & Electron Microscopy
Innovation:
Researchers in UCLA’s Department of Chemistry have developed nanodiamonds (ND) which can be used to perform fully correlated optical and electron microscopy. These probes are non-toxic, non-blinking, and can incorporate functionalities such as subcellular targeting.
Figure from related publication: Comparison of distributions of nanodiamonds
in HeLa cells by fluorescence lifetime imaging. doi:10.1038/srep02668
Applications
- Deliver drugs to specific sub-cellular compartments, and simultaneously visualize localization
- Measure local temperature and magnetic fields in live cells or inert material with high accuracy and precision
- Establish correlations between conjugation-delivered biomolecules and function
Advantages
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Nanodiamonds can introduce many functionalities to drugs:
- Specific targeting via conjugation of delivery moieties such as antibodies
- Imaging capabilities via conjugation of fluorophores
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Nanodiamonds are physically robust in many ways:
- Stable through multiple freeze-thaw cycles
- Can tolerate diffusion through the endosomes
- Chemically stable and inert
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Nanodiamonds are appropriate for live cell imaging:
- Non-cytotoxic
- Non-blinking
- Extremely strong signal – can be detected on the order of 1 per tens of cells
- Electron imaging with much lower radiation dose to the sample
Invention information
Title/Link: Universal Bio Diagnostic, Drug Delivery Device & Marker for Correlated Optical & Electron Microscopy
Tech ID: 24270 / UC Case 2014-166-0
