Techniques and systems are disclosed for detecting biomolecular interactions based on the motion of nanomotors. In one aspect, a method of detecting biomolecular interactions based on a motion of a nanomachine includes functionalizing a nanomachine with a capture probe adapted to interact with biological targets; and detecting a presence of the biological targets in an environment based on a motion of the nanomachine.

The invention relates to carbon nanotube-containing composites as biosensors to detect the presence of target clinical markers, methods of their preparation and uses in the medical field. The invention is particularly suitable for the detection in patient biological specimens of bone markers and tissue markers. The biosensors of the invention include carbon nanotubes deposited on a substrate, gold nanoparticles deposited on the carbon nanotubes and, binder material and biomolecule deposited on the gold-coated carbon nanotubes. The biomolecule is selected to interact with the target clinical markers. The biosensor can be used as an in-situ or an ex-situ device to detect and measure the presence of the target clinical markers.

The invention relates to carbon nanotube-containing composites as biosensors to detect the presence of target clinical markers, methods of their preparation and uses in the medical field. The invention is particularly suitable for the detection in patient biological specimens of bone markers and tissue markers. The biosensors of the invention include carbon nanotubes deposited on a substrate, gold nanoparticles deposited on the carbon nanotubes and, binder material and biomolecule deposited on the gold-coated carbon nanotubes. The biomolecule is selected to interact with the target clinical markers. The biosensor can be used as an in-situ or an ex-situ device to detect and measure the presence of the target clinical markers.

The present invention provides a diagnostic reagent or assay for assessing the activity of a protease in vivo or in vitro and methods of detecting the presence of a cancerous or precancerous cell. The assays are comprised of two particles linked via an oligopeptide linkage that comprises a consensus sequence specific for the target protease. Cleavage of the sequence by the target protease can be detected visually or using various sensors, and the diagnostic results can be correlated with cancer prognosis.

Fluorescent nanosensors for extracellular ion concentration measurements are disclosed herein. More specifically, a fluorescent nanosensor for extracellular ion measurements comprising a photoluminescent nanostructure disposed on a substrate surface is disclosed. The photoluminescent nanostructure comprises a fluorescent metallic core-silica shell containing nanoparticle, wherein the fluorescent silica shell comprises a fluorophore dispersed therein. The nanosensor emits a fluorescence emission in function of the extracellular ion concentration.

The present invention provides a diagnostic reagent or assay for assessing the activity of a protease in vivo or in vitro and methods of detecting the presence of a cancerous or precancerous cell. The assays are comprised of two particles linked via an oligopeptide linkage that comprises a consensus sequence specific for the target protease. Cleavage of the sequence by the target protease can be detected visually or using various sensors, and the diagnostic results can be correlated with cancer prognosis.

Described herein is the analysis of nanomechanical characteristics of cells. In particular, changes in certain local nanomechanical characteristics of ex vivo human cells can correlate with presence of a human disease, such as cancer, as well as a particular stage of progression of the disease. Also, for human patients that are administered with a therapeutic agent, changes in local nanomechanical characteristics of ex vivo cells collected from the patients can correlate with effectiveness of the therapeutic agent in terms of impeding or reversing progression of the disease. By exploiting this correlation, systems and related methods can be advantageously implemented for disease state detection and therapeutic agent selection and monitoring.

Size-tunable phosphorescent particles may be formed through self-assembly of biocompatible linear polymers, such as chitosan and other linear polymers, that bear positive surface charges, through polyelectrolytic complexation to a polyanionic metal phosphor, such as polyanionic gold(I) phosphor (AuP). The phosphorescent hydrogel nanoparticles and thin films thereof are useful for imaging, sensing of biological molecules, detection of hypoxia, and light-emitting devices. The phosphorescent hydrogel particles can be formed from a variety of linear polymers by physical cross-linking using polyelectrolytic light-emitting species, without the need for the phosphorescent complex to be entrapped in an existing microsphere or nanosphere polymer particle.

The present invention relates to an optical sensing chip, which has various applications and may be used repetitively. The optical sensing chip can qualitatively identify different types of molecules and quantitatively analyze small molecules in minute amounts. Regarding a conventional optical sensing chip, an additional sample of known concentration is required as a reference in signal comparison for quantitative determination. In the disclosure, it is unnecessary to add the additional sample of known concentration, but the optical sensing chip itself provides a fixed optical signal that is not varied along with environmental changes to serve as a reference for quantitative determination. In addition, the optical sensing chip also possesses the ability to concentrate or filter sample in real-time.

In a general aspect, an apparatus can include a substrate and a post disposed on the substrate. The post can include a plurality of nanotubes and extend substantially vertically from the substrate. The post can have an aspect ratio of a height of the post to a diameter of the post of greater than or equal to 25:1.