Compositions for biomedical applications are disclosed, containing infrared-emitting particles, which contain rare earth-elements that emit in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectrum, where the particles are encapsulated with a biocompatible matrix to form down-converting encapsulated particles and can optionally further include a contrast agent or radiolabel and be used as multimodal imaging agents, where the multimodal-imaging scheme can be selected from optical/MRI, optical/X-ray imaging, optical/CT, optical/PET and combinations thereof. Multimodal imaging methods are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a bi-specific antibody that specifically directs a therapeutic agent to a cancer cell by targeting a tumor antigen of the cancer cell, and thereby suppressing the growth of the cancer or blocking the invasion or metastasis of the cancer. The bi-specific antibody of the present disclosure includes a first antigen binding site that binds to polyethylene glycol (PEG); and a second antigen binding site that binds to a target ligand, such as a tumor antigen.

A method of distinguishing cancerous cells and healthy cells of a subject from each other comprises the steps: (i) contacting a region of tissue of a subject suspected of including at least some cancer cells with a plurality of nanodiamonds, wherein the plurality of nanodiamonds comprise a first plurality of conjugates, wherein the conjugates of the first plurality of conjugates consist of first nanodiamonds and one or more cancer cell targeting agents, wherein the first nanodiamonds have a first type of colour center, and a second plurality of conjugates, wherein the conjugates of the second plurality of conjugates consist of second nanodiamonds and one or more healthy cell targeting agents, wherein the second nanodiamonds have a second type of colour center; and (ii) applying light of a first wavelength so as to excite the first type of colour center and applying light of a second wavelength so as to excite the second type of colour center, wherein upon contacting the region of tissue with the plurality of nanodiamonds, cancer cells are adhered to the first plurality of conjugates, and healthy cells are adhered to the second plurality of conjugates; wherein upon applying light to the region of tissue, the colour centers of the nanodiamonds of the first plurality of conjugates adhered to cancer cells emit fluorescence at a first wavelength, and the colour centers of the nanodiamonds of the second plurality of conjugates adhered to healthy cells emit fluorescence at a second wavelength; and wherein the colour contrast between the two wavelengths and the positions of respective conjugates delineate the area of cancer cells and the area of healthy cells from each other.

A modified metal nanoparticle comprising a metal nanoparticle and a cyclic polyether modifying the metal nanoparticle.

Compositions of matter according to the disclosure include a nanoparticle-dye conjugate having a photoluminescent or fluorescent nanoparticle associated with a fluorescent dye. Methods of imaging a biological sample according to the disclosure include treating a biological sample with a composition of matter a nanoparticle-dye conjugate, associating the nanoparticle-dye conjugate with the biological sample, and imaging the nanoparticle-dye conjugate associated biological sample.

Disclosed herein is a bi-specific antibody that specifically directs a therapeutic agent to a cancer cell by targeting a tumor antigen of the cancer cell, and thereby suppressing the growth of the cancer or blocking the invasion or metastasis of the cancer. The bi-specific antibody of the present disclosure includes a first antigen binding site that binds to polyethylene glycol (PEG); and a second antigen binding site that binds to a target ligand, such as a tumor antigen.

A nanocomposite for detection and treatment of a target of interest including tumor cells or pathogens includes at least one nanostructure, each nanostructure having a core and a shell surrounding the core; a reporter assembled on the shell of each nanostructure; and a layer of a treating agent and a targeting agent conjugated to the reporter. In use, the nanocomposite targets to the target of interest according to the targeting agent and releases the treating agent and the nanostructure therein for therapeutic treatment of the target of interest, and the target of interest transmits at least one signature responsive to the reporter for detection of the target of interest.

Nanodiamond particles and related devices and methods, such as nanodiamond particles for the detection and/or quantification of analytes, are generally described. In some embodiments, the device comprises a plurality of nanodiamond particles and a species bound to the nanodiamond particles. In certain embodiments, the plurality of nanodiamond particles may be exposed to a sample suspected of containing an analyte. In some cases, the analyte may bind to the species such that the presence of the analyte in the sample may be detected. In some embodiments, the devices, systems, and methods described herein are useful for the detection of an analyte in a sample obtained from a subject for, for example, diagnostic purposes. In some cases, the systems, devices, and methods described herein may be useful for diagnosing, prevent, treating, and/or managing a disease or bodily condition. In an exemplary embodiment, such systems, devices, and methods described herein may be useful for detecting and/or quantifying the presence of a virus (e.g., ebola) in a subject and/or a sample obtained from the subject.

The present invention relates to a metal-organic framework composition, as well as constructs and methods thereof. In one particular example, the composition provides a platform having an emission signal in the deep red to near-infrared (NIR) region.

A nanoparticle including at least one amphiphilic molecule and a polymer compound having a constitutional unit represented by Formula (1):

##STR00001## wherein, Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 represent a trivalent aromatic hydrocarbon ring group or a trivalent aromatic heterocyclic group; X and Y represent O, S, C(O), S(O), SO.sub.2, CR.sub.2, SiR.sub.2, NR, BR, PR, or P(O)(R); and R represents an alkyl group, aryl group, or the like; and n represents an integer of 1 or more.