In collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Research Center. We are exploring applications of nanocrystals in biomedicine. Nanoparticles, NPs, can be used for biomedical imaging, for therapy (drug delivery), and for a combination of both. Colloidal complex perovskite oxide nanoparticles, conventionally used for applications in electronics and energy storage, have considerable potential to significantly impact biomedical research. In this project, the long-term goal is to develop novel nanotechnology based diagnostic and treatment approaches that aid in the fight against disease, achieved through the design, synthesis and deployment of multimodal theranostic complex perovskite oxide nanoparticles.

  1. Zhang Q, O'Brien S, Grimm J. Biomedical Applications of Lanthanide Nanomaterials, for Imaging, Sensing and Therapy. Nanotheranostics 2022; 6(2):184-194. Link

  2. Huang, R. H; Nayeem,N.; He, Y.; Morales, J.; Graham,D.; Klajn,R.; Contel, M.; O'Brien, S.; Ulijn, R. V. “Self-Complementary Zwitterionic Peptides Direct Nanoparticle Assembly and Enable Enzymatic Selection of Endocytic Pathways” Advanced Materials, 2021. Link

  3. Farahmand, N.; McGinn, C. K.; Zhang, Q. Gai, Z.; Kymissis, I.; O’Brien, S. “Magnetic and Dielectric Property Control in the Multivalent Nanoscale Perovskite Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3, Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 10365-10384 Link

  4. Zhang, Q; Pratt, E. C.; Tamura, R.; Ogirala, A.; Hsu, H-T.; Farahmand, F.; O’Brien, S.; Grimm, J. “Ultrasmall Downconverting Nanoparticle for Enhanced Cerenkov Imaging” Nanoletters, 2021, 21, 10, 4217–4224. Link

  5. Kumar, M.; Son, J.; Huang, H.; Sementa, D.; Lee, M.; O'Brien, S.; Ulijn, R., "In situ, non-covalent labeling and super-resolution STED imaging of supramolecular peptide nanostructures" ACS Nano, 2020, 14 (11), 15056-15063, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05029. Link

  6. Huang, R. H.; Sobol, N. B.; Younes, A.; Mamun, T.; Lewis, J. S.; Ulijn, R. V; O’Brien, S. P. “Comparison of Methods for Surface Modification of Barium Titanate Nanoparticles for Aqueous Dispersibility: Towards Biomedical Utilization of Perovskite Oxides,” ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2020, 12, 46, pp. 51135–51147. Link