The focus of research in our laboratory is to explore biomedical applications of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles and nanomaterials offer potential benefit in wide range of applications such as in sensing, diagnostics, delivery and image enhancement.

Magnetic nanoparticles in the form of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are increasingly being used as contrast enhancement agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our approach is through micelle-based nanotechnology platform.

New generations of biomedical implants and cardiovascular stents that are currently being used have the property of localized elution of drug molecules to enhance lifetime of these devices and for bio-integration. In this project Sridhar group is using nanoporous alumina and titania coatings for localized drug and gene delivery applications.

We demonstrate a nanofabrication method utilizing nanoporous alumina templates which involves directed three dimensional assembly of nanoparticles inside the pores by means of an electrophoretic technique.

We demonstrate in vitro imaging using multi-photon photoluminescence of gold nanoparticles from two different cell types - Dictyostelium discoideum and mouse embryonic stem cells.

For development of surface functionalized gold nanoparticles as cellular probes and delivery agents, we have synthesized hetero-bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG, MW 1,500) having a thiol group on one terminus and a reactive functional group on the other for use as a flexible spacer.

We show that the optical properties of noble-metal nanoparticles offer an attractive alternative to the fluorophore-based staining and labeling of biological samples, and have potential use in a wide range of biological and physical applications.

Implantable devices routinely used for increasing spatial accuracy in modern image-guided radiation treatments, such as fiducials or brachytherapy spacers, encompass the potential for in situ release of biologically-active drugs, providing an opportunity to enhance the therapeutic ratio.

We demonstrate that the nanoporous platforms can be used as non-eroding sustained release systems which can be utilized as coatings on currently available implants such as cardio-vascular stents, orthopedic/dental implants, fiducials or spacers.

Fe₃O₄ were synthesized nanoparticles by thermal decomposition method with oleic acid as the surfactant, and to make them suitable for aqueous environments, dopamine ligand exchange was carried out on the particles. SQUID magnetometry confirmed superparamagnetic behavior in the nanoparticles.

Stable 30-50 nm polymeric polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE)-based micelles entrapping superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have been prepared. At similar concentrations of SPION, the SPION-micelles had significantly better magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 relaxation signal compared to 'plain' SPION.