Binding Quantum Dots to Silk Biomaterials for Optical Sensing

Quantum dots (QDs), have great potential for fabricating optical sensing devices and imaging biomaterial degradation in vivo. In the present study, 2-mercaptoethylamine- (MEA-) and mercaptopropionic acid- (MPA-) capped CdTe-QDs were physically incorporated in silk films that contained a high content (>30%) of crystalline beta-sheet structure. The beta-sheets were induced by the addition of glycerol, water annealing, glycerol/annealing, or treatment with methanol. Incorporation of QDs did not influence the formation of beta-sheets. When the films were extracted with water, most QDs remained associated with the silk, based on the retention of photoluminescence in the silk films and negligible photoluminescence in the extracts. Compared to the solution state, photoluminescence intensity significantly decreased for MEA-QDs but not for MPA-QDs in the silk films, while the emission maximum blue shifted (≈4 nm) slightly for both. Further film digestion using protease XIV, alpha-chymotrypsin, and the combination of the two proteases suggested that QDs may be bound to the silk beta-sheet regions but not the amorphous regions. QDs photoluminescence in silk films was quenched when the concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was above 0.2-0.3 mM, indicating the QDs-incorporated silk films can be used to report oxidation potential in solution

Surface Engineering of Nanomaterials with Polymers, Biomolecules, and Small Ligands for Nanomedicine

Nanomedicine is a speedily growing area of medical research that is focused on developing nanomaterials for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Nanomaterials with unique physicochemical properties have recently attracted a lot of attention since they offer a lot of potential in biomedical research. Novel generations of engineered nanostructures, also known as designed and functionalized nanomaterials, have opened up new possibilities in the applications of biomedical approaches such as biological imaging, biomolecular sensing, medical devices, drug delivery, and therapy. Polymers, natural biomolecules, or synthetic ligands can interact physically or chemically with nanomaterials to functionalize them for targeted uses. This paper reviews current research in nanotechnology, with a focus on nanomaterial functionalization for medical applications. Firstly, a brief overview of the different types of nanomaterials and the strategies for their surface functionalization is offered. Secondly, different types of functionalized nanomaterials are reviewed. Then, their potential cytotoxicity and cost-effectiveness are discussed. Finally, their use in diverse fields is examined in detail, including cancer treatment, tissue engineering, drug/gene delivery, and medical implants

Toward biomaterial-based implantable photonic devices

Optical technologies are essential for the rapid and efficient delivery of health care to patients. Efforts have begun to implement these technologies in miniature devices that are implantable in patients for continuous or chronic uses. In this review, we discuss guidelines for biomaterials suitable for use in vivo. Basic optical functions such as focusing, reflection, and diffraction have been realized with biopolymers. Biocompatible optical fibers can deliver sensing or therapeutic-inducing light into tissues and enable optical communications with implanted photonic devices. Wirelessly powered, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and miniature lasers made of biocompatible materials may offer new approaches in optical sensing and therapy. Advances in biotechnologies, such as optogenetics, enable more sophisticated photonic devices with a high level of integration with neurological or physiological circuits. With further innovations and translational development, implantable photonic devices offer a pathway to improve health monitoring, diagnostics, and light-activated therapies. Keywords: biomaterials; biocompatible; biodegradable; optics; photonicsUnited States. Department of Defense (Award FA9550-13-1-0068)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Award P41-EB015903)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Award R01-CA192878)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Award CBET-1264356)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Award ECCS-1505569

21st Century Nanostructured Materials

Nanostructured materials (NMs) are attracting interest as low-dimensional materials in the high-tech era of the 21st century. Recently, nanomaterials have experienced breakthroughs in synthesis and industrial and biomedical applications. This book presents recent achievements related to NMs such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, plasmonic materials, metal nanowires, metal oxides, nanoparticles, metamaterials, nanofibers, and nanocomposites, along with their physical and chemical aspects. Additionally, the book discusses the potential uses of these nanomaterials in photodetectors, transistors, quantum technology, chemical sensors, energy storage, silk fibroin, composites, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and sustainable agriculture and environmental applications

Biological Lasers for Biomedical Applications

A biolaser utilizes biological materials as part of its gain medium and/or part of its cavity. It can also be a micro- or nanosized laser embedded/integrated within biological materials. The biolaser employs lasing emission rather than regular fluorescence as the sensing signal and therefore has a number of unique advantages that can be explored for broad applications in biosensing, labeling, tracking, contrast agent development, and bioimaging. This article reports on the progress in biolasers with focus on the work done in the past five years. In the end, the possible future directions of the biolaser are discussed.Biolasers and their applications in biology and biomedicine are reviewed in this progress report. The biolaser employs lasing emission rather than regular fluorescence as the sensing signal and therefore has a number of unique advantages that can be explored for broad applications in biosensing, labeling, tracking, contrast agent development, and bioimaging.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151258/1/adom201900377.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151258/2/adom201900377_am.pd

Amino acids, peptides, and proteins:Implications for nanotechnological applications in biosensing and drug/gene delivery

Over various scientific fields in biochemistry, amino acids have been highlighted in research works. Protein, peptide- and amino acid-based drug delivery systems have proficiently transformed nanotechnology via immense flexibility in their features for attaching various drug molecules and biodegradable polymers. In this regard, novel nanostructures including carbon nanotubes, electrospun carbon nanofibers, gold nanoislands, and metal-based nanoparticles have been introduced as nanosensors for accurate detection of these organic compounds. These nanostructures can bind the biological receptor to the sensor surface and increase the surface area of the working electrode, significantly enhancing the biosensor performance. Interestingly, protein-based nanocarriers have also emerged as useful drug and gene delivery platforms. This is important since, despite recent advancements, there are still biological barriers and other obstacles limiting gene and drug delivery efficacy. Currently available strategies for gene therapy are not cost-effective, and they do not deliver the genetic cargo effectively to target sites. With rapid advancements in nanotechnology, novel gene delivery systems are introduced as nonviral vectors such as protein, peptide, and amino acid-based nanostructures. These nano-based delivery platforms can be tailored into functional transformation using proteins and peptides ligands based nanocarriers, usually overexpressed in the specified diseases. The purpose of this review is to shed light on traditional and nanotechnology-based methods to detect amino acids, peptides, and proteins. Furthermore, new insights into the potential of amino protein-based nanoassemblies for targeted drug delivery or gene transfer are presented

Characterisation and Functionalisation of Ultrabithorax Materials for Biosensing

Ultrabithorax (Ubx) is a Hox transcription factor, which self-assembles into protein films and fibres at the air-water interface. Ubx materials are bio- and cyto-compatible, and can be functionalised with DNA, proteins, and growth factors to benefit from functions such as supporting cell proliferation. This thesis investigated the optical, electrical, and mechanical properties of Ubx fusion fibres in conditions relevant to applications in biosensing and tissue engineering. The steady-state and time-resolved spectra of the fibres were measured using an ultrafast laser source. The dityrosine emission peak red-shifted by 50nm in fibres compared to Ubx fusion solutions, and resonance energy transfer between dityrosine and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was observed in the EGFP-Ubxprotein fusion. The electrical properties of Ubx fusion fibres were tested, and anincrease in their electrical conductivity by 3 orders of magnitude was measuredwith rising relative humidity. Tensile tests of Ubx fusion fibres revealed that thefibres were less extensible but stronger after prolonged storage and rehydration,which could influence the design of Ubx materials for tissue engineering. Significant binding of DNA aptamers to Ubx in solution and in fibres was observed. A fluorescence-based method to assess binding eciency of bacteria and the SARSCoV-2 spike RBD protein was developed. Some indication of increased specific pathogen binding was observed using long oligonucleotide sequences bound to Ubx fusion fibres, and improvements to this system were suggested. Alginate and collagen are biomaterials widely used in tissue engineering. Preliminary experiments were conducted that showed the feasibility of production of composite materials made of Ubx and alginate or collagen, which could be applied to createfunctional tissue scaffolds. Ubx-based platforms and composite materials couldbenefit from the intrinsic properties of Ubx, and Ubx functionalisation with proteins,growth factors and DNA aptamers for applications in biosensing and tissueengineering

Review of Electrochemically Triggered Macromolecular Film Buildup Processes and Their Biomedical Applications

International audienceMacromolecular coatings play an important role in many technological areas, ranging from the car industry to biosensors. Among the different coating technologies, electrochemically triggered processes are extremely powerful because they allow in particular spatial confinement of the film buildup up to the micrometer scale on microelectrodes. Here, we review the latest advances in the field of electrochemically triggered macromolecular film buildup processes performed in aqueous solutions. All these processes will be discussed and related to their several applications such as corrosion prevention, biosensors, antimicrobial coatings, drug-release, barrier properties and cell encapsulation. Special emphasis will be put on applications in the rapidly growing field of biosensors. Using polymers or proteins, the electrochemical buildup of the films can result from a local change of macromolecules solubility, self-assembly of polyelectrolytes through electrostatic/ionic interactions or covalent cross-linking between different macromolecules. The assembly process can be in one step or performed step-by-step based on an electrical trigger affecting directly the interacting macromolecules or generating ionic species

Design of protein-nanomaterial hybrids as tools for sensing, imaging and bioelectronics

217 p.El diseño de proteínas permite construir herramientas nanotecnológicas adaptadas para su uso en campos como la biomedicina o la industria. Las proteínas de repetición CTPR son una buena opción para desarrollar nano-herramientas dada su estructura modular y tolerancia a mutaciones, lo que permite combinar módulos funcionalizados sin comprometer la estabilidad de la proteína. Además, las proteínas CTPR pueden modificarse para desarrollar módulos que coordinan metales, lo que permite la unión de nanomateriales metálicos con propiedades interesantes como las nanopartículas de oro, o la síntesis de nanocristales metálicos in situ. En la presente tesis doctoral se propone un sistema modular de proteínas CTPR funcionalizadas con nanomateriales metálicos para su aplicación como herramientas nanotecnológicas en sensórica, imagen y bioelectrónica. Para ello, primero se establece un diseño de CTPR con residuos de coordinación de metales y se estudia en profundidad las propiedades fotoluminiscentes que emergen de nanocristales de oro coordinados a dichas CTPR. A continuación, se elaboran diseños de CTPR coordinando nanomateriales metálicos y se aplican como sensores de parámetros ambientales, como la temperatura o la presencia de iones metálicos; como sondas fluorescentes para detección correlativa de orgánulos celulares usando microscopía de fluorescencia y fluorescencia de rayos-X; y como bloques de construcción para elaborar biomateriales conductores