Boise State University

Hua Wang

Alex Punnoose

Kevin Feris

Denise Wingett

Madhusudan R Kongara

Mfadhusudan R Kongara

A core-shell nanoparticle having a core that includes a fluorophore and a first oxide of a first metal and a shell that includes a second oxide of a second metal such that the first oxide and the second oxide are different. Also disclosed are methods relating to the core-shell nanoparticle.

Fluorescent particles comprising nanoscale ZnO layer and exhibiting cell-specific toxicity

Multifunctional 'smart' nanostructures are disclosed that include fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-encapsulated SiOcore-shell particles with a nanoscale ZnO finishing layer, wherein an outer ZnO layer is formed on the SiO-FITC core. These &#x2dc;200 nm sized particles showed promise toward cell imaging and cellular uptake studies using the bacteriumand Jurkat cancer cells, respectively. The FITC encapsulated ZnO particles demonstrated excellent selectivity in preferentially killing Jurkat cancer cells with minimal toxicity to normal primary immune cells (18% and 75% viability remaining, respectively, after exposure to 60 &#x3bc;g/mL) and inhibited the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at concentrations &#x2267;250-500 &#x3bc;g/mL (forand, respectively). These results indicate that the FITC encapsulated multifunctional particles with nanoscale ZnO surface layer can be used as smart nanostructures for particle tracking, cell imaging, antibacterial treatments and cancer therapy.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Hua Wang