Synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4@Au magnetic nanoshells for applications in Nanomedicine

• Grant number: 12/17179-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2012
• End date: September 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Valtencir Zucolotto
• Grantee: Fabiane Fantinelli Franco
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles have shown a high potential for medical applications as in the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Recently, the advanced generations of these nanomaterials with diversified capacities to be used simultaneously in several applications have attracted much interest. However, the development of nanocomposites containing different components presents many challenges, such as low stability. In this project, magnetic gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized by polyelectrolytes will be synthesized. Furthermore, they will be functionalized with fluorescent molecules in order to allow their visualization by fluorescence microscopy in the experiments with cell culture. Our study will be focused on the optimization of the synthesis of these hybrid nanocomposites to obtain monodisperse systems with high stability. The nanocomposites will be characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.(AU)