Characterization of Mg-doped ZnO quantum dots and liposomes containing QDs

• Grant number: 15/01198-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: April 09, 2015
• End date: June 08, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Leila Aparecida Chiavacci Favorin
• Grantee: Eloísa Berbel Manaia
• Supervisor: Claudie Bourgaux
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université Paris-Sud (Paris 11), France
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/07570-4 - Zinc based quantum dots and double salts incorporated in liposome for image and vectorization of anticancer drug, BP.DR

Abstract

Nanocrystals of ZnO are currently attracting great interest as potential labels for biological applications, such as theranostic devices, due to their luminescent properties and low toxicity in vivo. It has been reported that doping with Mg2+ ions could enhance the luminescence of ZnO Quantum Dots (QDs). In the project of thesis of the candidate Mg-doped ZnO QDs were synthesized by a hydrolysis and condensation reaction. Surface modification of the QDs was performed using oleic acid (OA) and citric acid (CA) to hinder their aggregation and to provide them colloidal stability in non-polar and polar environments, respectively. The oleic acid surface modifieid Mg-doped and undoped ZnO QDs were incorporated in lipid systems keeping the luminescence properties of the QDs. The aim of this internship is to identify where the dopant is inserted in the ZnO strucuture by EXAFS measurements, to characterize the structure of the lipid sytems by SAXS measurements, to perform the confocal microscopy to visualize the cell internalization of the nanoparticles and to evaluate their luminescence properties in bioimaging applications. This internship is crucial for the conclusion of the studies related to the thesis of the project "Zinc based quantum dots and double salts incorporated in liposome for image and vectorization of anticancer drug", FAPESP Process 2012/07570-4. (AU)