Integrating multiple modalities into a single nanoplatform is the key to making significant progress in molecular diagnostics, imaging and therapeutics. In this report, we demonstrate the development of multimodal nanoparticles comprising of a highly magnetic core and an optically active gold shell, with well-defined structural characteristics and physical properties. The resulting magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles can not only deliver biomolecules efficiently to stem cells,  but also offer imaging capability, facile surface chemistry and long-term stability. The highly magnetic core facilitated swift and efficient intracellular delivery of biomolecules to the difficult-to-transfect stem cells, by improving the kinetics of transfection via magnetofection. The gold outershell not only improved biocompatibility and surface chemistry of the nanoparticles, but also endowed imaging capability to the  nanosystem, owing to its plasmon resonance characteristics. Thus we can envision such multi-modal composites occupying an important place in non-invasive imaging, diagnosis and therapeutic regimens.

Magneto-plasmonic core shell nanoparticles as multimodal imaging probes and delivery vehicles

244th National Meeting (2012)

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