Project abstract

The development of nanocomposites based on magnetic nanoparticles and fluorescent molecules is a fast growing research field in nanotechnology. These types of materials, however, possess some difficulties and challenges that need to be overcome, such as the quenching of the fluorescent entity by the magnetic core. That is why the coating systems have received a special importance by changing the hydrophilicity related with good dispensability or improving biocompatibility.

As a coating, polydopamine fulfills these qualities being heavily investigated through both, in vivo and in vitro studies for many biomedical applications. But in terms of fluorescence this it is a breach of exploitation which is focused more on oxidation approached, degradation, conjugation, and carbonization of dopamine/polydopamine.

In this project we propose a different approach by synthesizing new polydopamine analogues with extra heteroatoms in their structure. For this type of synthetic analogues we will systematically study the polymerization mechanism, adherence, and how the presence of N-type heteroatoms improves their fluorescence property.

Coating the fluorescent new materials onto uniformly sized magnetic nanoparticles, fluorescent-magnetic nanocomposites will be engineered, which can serve as an all-in-one diagnostic and therapeutic tools with the additional advantage of being easy to control and monitor by fluorescent microscopy.