Deaggregation of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles via Controlling Ionic Strength Toward Enhanced DNA Detection
Faculty Mentor Information
Jeunghoon Lee
Abstract
Gold nanoparticles can be utilized in biomedical applications such as diagnostics, visual markers, and photodynamic therapy agents. In this research, gold nanoparticles will be used as colorimetric visual markers for DNA detection system that utilizes catalytic disassembly of gold nanoparticle aggregates. As a fundamental investigation, we are studying how the ionic strength contributes to the disassembly of gold nanoparticles. This research is performed under the hypothesis that a low salt concentration will weaken the hybridization of the aggregated gold particles. The procedure consists chemical functionalization of gold nanoparticles with DNA, aggregation of gold nanoparticles, and measurement of disassembly kinetics in the presence of fuel and/or target strands at various salt concentrations. We will measure the changes in their optical properties in order to identify the optimal conditions at which these particles deaggregate.
Deaggregation of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles via Controlling Ionic Strength Toward Enhanced DNA Detection
Gold nanoparticles can be utilized in biomedical applications such as diagnostics, visual markers, and photodynamic therapy agents. In this research, gold nanoparticles will be used as colorimetric visual markers for DNA detection system that utilizes catalytic disassembly of gold nanoparticle aggregates. As a fundamental investigation, we are studying how the ionic strength contributes to the disassembly of gold nanoparticles. This research is performed under the hypothesis that a low salt concentration will weaken the hybridization of the aggregated gold particles. The procedure consists chemical functionalization of gold nanoparticles with DNA, aggregation of gold nanoparticles, and measurement of disassembly kinetics in the presence of fuel and/or target strands at various salt concentrations. We will measure the changes in their optical properties in order to identify the optimal conditions at which these particles deaggregate.