(277a) Multifunctional Nanocomposites for Single Cell and Molecule Manipulation

As the promise of individual nanoparticles begins to be realized, researchers are attempting to combine the properties of different nanomaterials into a single multifunctional construct. Here, I will describe our recent efforts to create fluorescent-magnetic nanocomposites using direct synthesis, bifunctional crosslinking, and encapsulation strategies, addressing the specific advantages and disadvantages of each approach. These composites, which combine quantum dots and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, display both the fluorescence and magnetism properties of their constituent components. As such, they are particularly suited to applications in single cell/molecule tracking and separations. I will also discuss our recent successes in these areas including the development of alternating color quantum dots with near-continuous fluorescence and magnetic quantum dots, which permit simultaneous magnetic manipulation and fluorescent tracking of individual particles, molecules, and cells. Taken together, these technologies herald new possibilities in nanoscale manipulation, assembly, and chromatography.