The Trustees of Boston College

University of Houston System

Nanolab, Inc.

Dong Cai

Thomas Chiles

Zhifeng Ren

Michael J Naughton

David L Carnahan

Krzysztof J Kempa

Binod Rizal

Paudel Trilochan

Zhen Yang

Huaizhou Zhao

Thomas C Chiles

A method of extracting biomolecules from live cells comprising: introducing a plurality of magnetized carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) into a live cell, wherein the MCNTs penetrate the cell membrane under a magnetic force; spearing the MCNTs through the cell under the magnetic force, wherein a biomolecule attaches to at least a portion of the MCNTs to form a biomolecule loaded MCNT; removing at least a portion of the biomolecule loaded MCNTs from the cell under the magnetic force; and collecting at least a portion of the biomolecule loaded MCNTs.

Method for molecular extraction in live cells

A nanocoaxial sensor includes an outer conductor, an inner conductor, a nanoporous dielectric material disposed between the outer and inner conductors, a nanocavity sized to allow target species to enter the nanocavity between the outer and inner conductors.

Nanoscale sensors with nanoporous material

An apparatus for detecting the presence of a target molecule is disclosed which includes a conductive nanostructure, a non-conductive polymer coating on at least a portion of the nanostructure, and a cavity formed in the polymer coating having a shape corresponding to the shape of the target molecule. A property of the nanostructure depends on the presence of the target molecule at the cavity.

Molecular imprinted nanosensors

A nanocoaxial sensor includes an outer conductor, an inner conductor, a dielectric material disposed between the outer and inner conductors, a nanocavity sized to allow target species to enter the nanocavity between the outer and inner conductors, and an active sensing element immobilized within the nanocavity on at least one of the inner or outer conductors. The active sensing element is adapted to selectively capture the at least one of the target species.

Nanoscale sensors

A nanostructured molecular delivery vehicle comprising magnetic materials and configured to receive passenger biomolecules. The application of a an appropriate magnetic field having a gradient orients and drives the vehicle into a biological target, which may comprise cells, cell masses, tissue slices, tissues, etc. Under the control of the magnetic field, these vehicles can penetrate cell membranes. Then, the biomolecules carried by the vehicle can be released into the cells to perform their functions. Using this 'nanospearing' technique, unprecendented high transfection efficiency has been achieved in several difficult-to-transfect cells. These include, but are not limited to, Bal 17 cells, ex vivo B cells, primary cultured cortical neurons, etc. This method advances the state of the art, providing an improved technique for the introduction of exogenous molecules to cells, with the clinical applications including, but not being limited to, drug delivery, gene therapy, vaccination, etc.

Growing community of inventors

West Newton, MA, United States of America

Dong Cai