Surface-enhanced Raman based chemical sensors for single-cell bioimaging

ANYL 111

Jennifer Sherin1, Candace Thompson, thompsc5@cc.wwu.edu1, Rebecca A. Jensen2, Daniel Finley1, Lauren Retallack1, Christopher J. A. Daley, daley@chem.wwu.edu1, and Steven R. Emory, semory@chem.wwu.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry, Western Washington University, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, (2) Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60208
Molecular imaging has the potential to monitor normal and abnormal biochemical and physiological parameters in individual biological systems. Current fluorescence-based imaging techniques often lack the sensitivity and specificity to environmental conditions and require probe concentrations that perturb the system. The development of advanced molecular imaging probes based upon the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties of silica-gold core-shell nanoparticles will address many of these shortcomings. SERS-based nanoprobes are designed and tested to monitor target metabolic species inside living cells. In this approach, a thin layer of gold is deposited onto a core of silica to form a metallic nanoshell. Strong Raman scattering molecules are immobilized on the surface of the gold nanoshells and the SERS spectra of these reporters are used to probe the surrounding chemical environment. A series of silica-gold nanoshells have been synthesized and the ability of these nanostructures to quantitatively measure cellular metabolites will be presented.
 

General Session
7:00 PM-9:00 PM, Sunday, 26 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Poster

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, 27 March 2006 Georgia World Congress Center -- Ex. Hall B4, Sci-Mix

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 231st ACS National Meeting, Atlanta, GA, March 26-30, 2006