Bioconjugation strategies toward efficient intracellular nanoparticle probes

The integration of biosensors into the clinic can transform the ability to monitor personal and public health. High sensitivity and specificity have been realized leveraging nanostructured sensors and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), which can be further integrated by fluorescence to push the boundaries of sensitivity, selectivity, and multiplexing. However, to ensure accurate and reliable applicability, the nanostructured probes need to be designed, synthesized, and characterized very rigorously. In my talk, I will report on our development of intracellular probes for the detection of viral pathogens, providing tips and guidelines to reduce opsonization, increase stability, reduce cytotoxicity, and improve performance.