Lampion

The goal of LAMPION is the development of multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles with both magnetic and plasmonic properties. They will be used as nanoprobes in immunodiagnostics.

The innovative breakthrough consists in the reliable production of hybrid nanoparticles by nanoimprint lithography and their subsequent conversion into nanoprobes for immunodiagnostics by means of biofunctionalization. Such probes can be used, for example, for the immunodiagnostic early detection of a pregnancy disease based on an optical analysis of the biofunctional nanoparticles.

The biofunctional surface forms a reaction zone for specific molecules which, after binding to the nanoparticles, is detected by the magnetically activated rotation of the probe. Special optical effects on the nanoparticles are used for this purpose. Due to the excitation of localized surface plasmons on the nanoparticles, the transmission changes according to the orientation of the particles. From this, the biomolecular binding via the key-lock principle and the associated measurable changes in the hydrodynamic properties of the nanoprobes during analyte binding can be inferred.

The overall concept requires a careful design and implementation of various steps in nanofabrication and biofunctional nanosurface technology, which generate a nanotechnology-driven added value for the patient-oriented detection of a biomarker through a hitherto unattained low detection limit (NG).

The aim is to use the nanoprobes in a demonstration assay to detect NTproCNP, a clinically relevant biomarker of pregnancy disease preeclampsia, which cannot currently be diagnosed close to the patient due to the low concentration of this biomarker. Compared to previous results based on chemically synthesized nanoparticles, the detection of NTproCNP requires an improvement of NG by about three orders of magnitude in this immunodiagnostic method. In this respect, an increase of NG by at least two orders of magnitude can be expected due to the hybrid magnetic as well as plasmonic properties of the physically structured nanoparticles, while an improvement of at least one further order of magnitude in a newly developed cartridge is foreseen by an improved optical analysis of the NTproCNP nanoprobe assay. For this purpose, the nanoprobes will be integrated into a microfluidic cartridge with outstanding optical properties, which forms the basis for a diagnostic product based on nanomaterials with great market potential.

The results of LAMPION will pave the way for earlier and more thorough diagnosis of pre-eclampsia through the development of a patient-focused NTproCNP test.

Project name:

Labels with magneto-plasmonic properties for immunodiagnostics fabricated by nano-imprint-lithography

Funding:

Production of the future, 19th call for proposals, nanomaterials, functional nanostructured surfaces, nanodevices and nanosensors (sub-priority 3.1)

Duration:
30 months