title: Design of functional nanoparticles and assemblies for theranostic applications.
abstract: Nanostructured materials have found increasing applications in medical therapies and diagnostics (theranostics). The main challenge is the ability to impart the nanomaterials with structurally tailored functional properties which can effectively target biomolecules but also provide signatures for effective detection. The harnessing of functional nanoparticles and assemblies serves as a powerful strategy for the creation of the structurally tailored multifunctional properties. This article highlights some of the important design strategies in recent investigation of metals (especially gold and silver), and magnetically functionalized nanoparticles, and molecularly assembled or biomolecularly conjugated nanoparticles with tunable optical, spectroscopic, magnetic, and electrical properties for applications in several areas of potential theranostic interests. Examples include colorimetric detection of amino acids and small peptides, surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of biomolecular recognition of proteins and DNAs, delivery in cell transfection and bacteria inactivation, and chemiresistive detection of breath biomarkers. A major emphasis is placed on understanding how the control of the nanostructures and the molecular and biomolecular interactions impact these biofunctional properties, which has important implications for bottom-up designs of theranostic materials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Binghamton , Binghamton, New York 13902, United States.
authors.forename: Zakiya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Skeete
authors.forename: Hanwen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crew
authors.forename: Liqin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Pharrah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Shiyao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cronk
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qunwei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chuan-Jian
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053758:Nanoparticles
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials
keywords: SERS detection; assembly of nanoparticles; bioconjugation; core−shell magnetic nanoparticles; flexible chemical sensors; gold nanoparticles