The present invention relates to a protein which binds to the domain encoded by exon 9 of human CD44 (CD44ex9), to fusion proteins and conjugates of said protein and especially to nanoparticles conjugated to said protein. The invention further relates to a method of production for the protein and the respective conjugated nanoparticles and the use of the protein of the invention for treatment and diagnosis of cancer diseases.

Provided are: a phosphor-integrated nanoparticle labeling agent which is capable of yielding a sufficient signal intensity even when its final concentration in an immunofluorescent staining reaction system is low (e.g., 0.02 nM) and enables to obtain an immunofluorescently stained image with reduced noise by inhibiting non-specific adsorption of a probe biological substance and a label to substances other than a detection subject; and an immunostaining method using the same. The phosphor-integrated nanoparticle labeling agent is a set which includes: a probe biological substance 3, which is linked to a first binding group substance A via a first hydrophilic polymer-derived spacer 1 having a length of 30 to 1,000 and specifically binds to a biomolecule 2; and a phosphor-integrated nanoparticle 5, which has a second binding group substance B capable of specifically binding to the first binding group substance A.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide bisbiotin ligands and related conjugates and methods. The bisbiotin ligands, combined with streptavidin, can be used in the separation, labelling, targeting, and immobilization of biomolecules.

Noble metal nanoparticles and methods of their use are provided. Certain aspects provided solid noble metal nanoparticles tuned to the near infrared. The disclosed nanoparticles can be used in molecular imaging, diagnosis, and treatment. Methods for imaging cells are also provided.

Constructs and monitoring systems to assess the level of molecules that bind to thrombin (e.g. thrombin regulators and inhibitors) are provided. The constructs are nanosensors comprising i) a thrombin molecule to which is bound a reporter ligand comprising a fluorescent label, ii) a fluorescence-quenching metal nanoparticle, and, optionally iii) a fluorescence-quenching dye molecule attached to one or both of the nanoparticle and the thrombin molecule. The binding of a thrombin regulator or inhibitor to the thrombin molecule displaces the reporter ligand, and the signal from the fluorescent label increases. The increase is proportional to the concentration of thrombin-binding molecule in the sample.

The present invention relates to methods, kits and devices for detecting a quantity of target molecule. The invention is particularly relevant to techniques carried out on a flow based assay device. Each biological target molecule is a protein capsid decorated with multiple copies of affinity tags and/or multiple copies of protein or peptide binding partners in order to bind a plurality of detectable markers.

Provided is a nanoparticle comprising: a DNA scaffold comprising an attached dye, an attached functional moiety, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the DNA scaffold comprises a plurality of DNA oligonucleotides, wherein each oligonucleotide is independently optionally attached to a dye and/or a functional moiety. Provided is a method of cell voltage sensing at a target site comprising providing the nanoparticle of any one of the preceding embodiments at the target site; and monitoring cell voltage at the target site. Also provided is a method of fluorescence or absorbance imaging at a target site comprising providing the nanoparticle of any one of the preceding embodiments at the target site; and monitoring fluorescence or absorbance at the target site.

The present disclosure relates in some aspects to methods and compositions for in situ detection of an analyte in a biological sample embedded in a matrix that is attached to metal nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the detection involves generation of a fluorescent signal that is enhanced by the metal nanoparticles. The fluorescent signal can be detected at a 3-dimensional (3D) location in the matrix which corresponds to the 3D location of the analyte in the biological sample.

A 5-aminolevulinic acid conjugated quantum dot nanoparticle is useful for treating cancer by administering the 5-aminolevulinic acid conjugated quantum dot nanoparticle in photodynamic therapy as a precursor of both a fluorescence label and a photosensitizer.

Certain disclosed embodiments of the present invention concern the synthesis, derivatization, conjugation to immunoglobulins and signal amplification based on discrete, relatively short polymers having plural reactive functional groups that react with plural molecules of interest. Reactive functional groups, such as hydrazides, may be derivatized with a variety of detectable labels, particularly haptens. The remaining reactive functional groups may be conjugated directly to a specific binding molecule, such as to the oxidized carbohydrate of the Fc region of the antibody. Disclosed conjugates display large signal amplification as compared to those based on molecules derivatized with single haptens, and are useful for assay methods, particularly multiplexed assays.