Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.6
4.9
Journals
Biosensors
Special Issues
Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging
share announcement

Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2019) | Viewed by 42357

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carolina Carrillo-Carrión

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
BioNanoTools lab at CIQUS, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Interests: analytical chemistry; material science; nanoparticles’ synthesis and functionalization; sensing; imaging; delivery; cell-nanoparticle interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ester Polo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
BioNanoTools lab at CIQUS, University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Interests: biochemistry; molecular and cellular biology; nanomaterial synthesis; bionano-interface; bionanointerface
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid progress in the biosensing and bioimaging research fields have significantly benefited from the development of functional smart nanomaterials and their huge potential as signal transducers, enabling novel integrated solutions for diagnostics.

On the one hand, the unique properties of nanomaterials, such as optical, electrical, magnetic, and catalytical, and the fact that they are easily tunable by altering their compositions, sizes, shapes, and doping, providing interesting opportunities for improving the bioperformance of well-known biosensors and the development of sensing and imaging approaches based on different transduction techniques. On the other hand, the myriad of existing surface functionalization strategies allows modifying the surface chemistry of such nanomaterials with the aim of introducing recognition units for the detection of specific target compounds for sensing, and targeting moieties to label specific region of interest (e.g., cells and intracellular organelles) for imaging. Altogether, nanomaterials and surface chemistry strategies constitute a powerful and versatile toolbox to design functional nanomaterials with specific requirements depending on the desired application, that is, following a 'design-for-purpose' approach.

Analytical features, such as sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and reliability are the key points for improving the performance of these functional nanomaterials for both sensing and imaging purposes. This is challenging when working with complex samples as in the case of biological samples, where many potential interferences are present, and much more especially with cells and organisms. In addition, biocompatibility is a fundamental prerequisite that must be met by these nanomaterials for their use in in vivo applications. Despite all the recent advances, the application of functional nanomaterials in in vivo sensing and/or imaging is still in its infancy, and therefore, new nanomaterials with improved performance are required. Additionally, the combination of sensing and imaging capabilities in one single multifunctional nanomaterial that is able of monitoring and visualizing specific cellular and molecular events in vivo will pave the path towards more reliable diagnostic tools.

In this Special Issue, we seek unique research and development efforts to engineer novel platforms for precise disease diagnosis by designing multimodal functional materials for early detection, screening, and image-guided treatments. This Special Issue aims to promote exchange of ideas and knowledge among researchers in the fields of materials science, chemistry, biology and biomedicine.

Dr. Carolina Carrillo-Carrión
Dr. Ester Polo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Nanoparticles
  • Surface functionalization
  • Biocompatibility
  • Biosensor
  • Imaging
  • Multimodal

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

18 pages, 2340 KiB  
Article
Surface Functionalization by Hydrophobin-EPSPS Fusion Protein Allows for the Fast and Simple Detection of Glyphosate
by Julia Döring, David Rettke, Gerhard Rödel, Tilo Pompe and Kai Ostermann
Biosensors 2019, 9(3), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios9030104 - 29 Aug 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6829
Abstract
Glyphosate, the most widely used pesticide worldwide, is under debate due to its potentially cancerogenic effects and harmful influence on biodiversity and environment. Therefore, the detection of glyphosate in water, food or environmental probes is of high interest. Currently detection of glyphosate usually [...] Read more.
Glyphosate, the most widely used pesticide worldwide, is under debate due to its potentially cancerogenic effects and harmful influence on biodiversity and environment. Therefore, the detection of glyphosate in water, food or environmental probes is of high interest. Currently detection of glyphosate usually requires specialized, costly instruments, is labor intensive and time consuming. Here we present a fast and simple method to detect glyphosate in the nanomolar range based on the surface immobilization of glyphosate’s target enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) via fusion to the hydrophobin Ccg2 and determination of enzyme activity with a malachite green assay, which is a common photometric technique to measure inorganic phosphate (Pi). The assay demonstrates a new approach for a fast and simple detection of pesticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 1994 KiB  
Article
Toward Highly Efficient Cancer Imaging and Therapy Using the Environment-Friendly Chitosan Nanoparticles and NIR Laser
by Hala S. Abuelmakarem, Mahmoud A. Sliem, Jala El-Azab, Moustafa M. A. Farghaly and Wafaa A. Ahmed
Biosensors 2019, 9(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios9010028 - 18 Feb 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5975
Abstract
Chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (C-TPP NPs) were synthesized to investigate their cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells (Caco2 cells) in the absence and the presence of a near-infrared (NIR) laser to evaluate their influence in cancer detection using the NIR laser and to evaluate the NIR [...] Read more.
Chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles (C-TPP NPs) were synthesized to investigate their cytotoxicity against colon cancer cells (Caco2 cells) in the absence and the presence of a near-infrared (NIR) laser to evaluate their influence in cancer detection using the NIR laser and to evaluate the NIR laser on cancer treatment. The synthesized NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential (ZP), and transmission electronic microscope (TEM). The cytotoxicity was analyzed by the MTT test and the cell viability was assessed using the Trypan blue method. C-TPP NPs showed increased cytotoxicity and decreased cell viability against Caco2 cells. Upon laser exposure only, the cell viability decreased. The C-TPP NPs appeared to have a shining light on the cancerous cells which were photographed under the inverted microscope. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 5102 KiB  
Article
MRI Study of the Influence of Surface Coating Aging on the In Vivo Biodistribution of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
by Susana Carregal-Romero, Sandra Plaza-García, Rafael Piñol, José L. Murillo, Jesús Ruiz-Cabello, Daniel Padro, Angel Millán and Pedro Ramos-Cabrer
Biosensors 2018, 8(4), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios8040127 - 12 Dec 2018
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5696
Abstract
Medical imaging is an active field of research that fosters the necessity for novel multimodal imaging probes. In this line, nanoparticle-based contrast agents are of special interest, since those can host functional entities either within their interior, reducing potential toxic effects of the [...] Read more.
Medical imaging is an active field of research that fosters the necessity for novel multimodal imaging probes. In this line, nanoparticle-based contrast agents are of special interest, since those can host functional entities either within their interior, reducing potential toxic effects of the imaging tracers, or on their surface, providing high payloads of probes, due to their large surface-to-volume ratio. The long-term stability of the particles in solution is an aspect usually under-tackled during probe design in research laboratories, since their performance is generally tested briefly after synthesis. This may jeopardize a later translation into practical medical devices, due to stability reasons. To dig into the effects of nanoparticle aging in solution, with respect to their behavior in vivo, iron oxide stealth nanoparticles were used at two stages (3 weeks vs. 9 months in solution), analyzing their biodistribution in mice. Both sets of nanoprobes showed similar sizes, zeta potentials, and morphology, as observed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), but fresh nanoparticles accumulated in the kidneys after systemic administration, while aged ones accumulated in liver and spleen, confirming an enormous effect of particle aging on their in vivo behavior, despite barely noticeable changes perceived on a simple inspection of their structural integrity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 2327 KiB  
Article
Sensors Based on Metal Nanoclusters Stabilized on Designed Proteins
by Antonio Aires, Elena Lopez-Martinez and Aitziber L. Cortajarena
Biosensors 2018, 8(4), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios8040110 - 15 Nov 2018
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5734
Abstract
Among all new nanomaterials, metal nanoclusters (NCs) have attracted special attention due to their interesting optical properties, among others. Metal NCs have been recently studied and used as sensors for different analytes. However, there is a need to explore the potential of these [...] Read more.
Among all new nanomaterials, metal nanoclusters (NCs) have attracted special attention due to their interesting optical properties, among others. Metal NCs have been recently studied and used as sensors for different analytes. However, there is a need to explore the potential of these new sensors in a systematic manner and to develop new systems to broaden the possibilities that sensing offers to the industry. In this work, we show the potential use of repeat protein scaffolds as versatile templates for the synthesis and stabilization of various metal NCs, specifically Au, Ag, and CuNCs. The resulting protein-metal NCs hybrids are evaluated as sensors for different stimuli such as temperature, ions, or reactive oxygen species (ROS). Among the three protein-metal NCs, all performed nicely as temperature sensors, AuNCs responded to metal ions, and AgNCs were able to detect ROS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 2643 KiB  
Review
Applications of Nanomaterials for Immunosensing
by Sandra Lara and André Perez-Potti
Biosensors 2018, 8(4), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios8040104 - 1 Nov 2018
Cited by 59 | Viewed by 10324
Abstract
In biomedical science among several other growing fields, the detection of specific biological agents or biomolecular markers, from biological samples is crucial for early diagnosis and decision-making in terms of appropriate treatment, influencing survival rates. In this regard, immunosensors are based on specific [...] Read more.
In biomedical science among several other growing fields, the detection of specific biological agents or biomolecular markers, from biological samples is crucial for early diagnosis and decision-making in terms of appropriate treatment, influencing survival rates. In this regard, immunosensors are based on specific antibody-antigen interactions, forming a stable immune complex. The antigen-specific detection antibodies (i.e., biomolecular recognition element) are generally immobilized on the nanomaterial surfaces and their interaction with the biomolecular markers or antigens produces a physico-chemical response that modulates the signal readout. Lowering the detection limits for particular biomolecules is one of the key parameters when designing immunosensors. Thus, their design by combining the specificity and versatility of antibodies with the intrinsic properties of nanomaterials offers a plethora of opportunities for clinical diagnosis. In this review, we show a comprehensive set of recent developments in the field of nanoimmunosensors and how they are progressing the detection and validation for a wide range of different biomarkers in multiple diseases and what are some drawbacks and considerations of the uses of such devices and their expansion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

56 pages, 4542 KiB  
Review
Advanced Nanoscale Approaches to Single-(Bio)entity Sensing and Imaging
by Marta Maria Pereira da Silva Neves and Daniel Martín-Yerga
Biosensors 2018, 8(4), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios8040100 - 26 Oct 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6819
Abstract
Individual (bio)chemical entities could show a very heterogeneous behaviour under the same conditions that could be relevant in many biological processes of significance in the life sciences. Conventional detection approaches are only able to detect the average response of an ensemble of entities [...] Read more.
Individual (bio)chemical entities could show a very heterogeneous behaviour under the same conditions that could be relevant in many biological processes of significance in the life sciences. Conventional detection approaches are only able to detect the average response of an ensemble of entities and assume that all entities are identical. From this perspective, important information about the heterogeneities or rare (stochastic) events happening in individual entities would remain unseen. Some nanoscale tools present interesting physicochemical properties that enable the possibility to detect systems at the single-entity level, acquiring richer information than conventional methods. In this review, we introduce the foundations and the latest advances of several nanoscale approaches to sensing and imaging individual (bio)entities using nanoprobes, nanopores, nanoimpacts, nanoplasmonics and nanomachines. Several (bio)entities such as cells, proteins, nucleic acids, vesicles and viruses are specifically considered. These nanoscale approaches provide a wide and complete toolbox for the study of many biological systems at the single-entity level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials for Biosensing and Bioimaging)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop