Scientists to develop new detection technology for life sciences research
University of Bath team plans to attach fluorescent nanoparticles to antibodies
Scientists at the University of Bath in the UK are working with industry and the Research Complex at Harwell, Oxfordshire to develop new fluorescent nanoparticles to enable a straightforward multiplexing technology for immunoassays and cell and tissue imaging.
Life science researchers will initially use the technology for fundamental research, drug discovery, identifying new drug targets and biomarker studies, but it has potential as a tool to detect and diagnose diseases in patient samples.
Sofia Pascu and Tony James from the University’s Department of Chemistry are collaborating with nanomaterial manufacturing and application developer Intrinsiq Materials and antibody supplier Abcam to form the Nanoflam consortium to create the new technology.
The team plans to attach fluorescent nanoparticles to antibodies, which can then be used to detect proteins in the lab more accurately and inexpensively.
The Nanoflam team has recently been awarded funding of around £1m from the UK’s Technology Strategy Board to help optimise and commercialise the technology over the next two years.
This research is building on new and exciting technologies
Dr Pascu, a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry, is leading the research project. She said: ‘This research is building upon new and exciting technologies where we already have been achieving some success – fluorescent nanoparticles with targeting molecules – to produce a new generation of tools for research, diagnostics and biological imaging involving custom-built antibodies.
‘Existing fluorescent labels are either based on dyes that have a short lifetime, or commercial particles called quantum dots, which are expensive and have problems with stability and toxicity.
‘We aim to overcome these challenges by investigating new types of nanoparticles that do not interfere with biological materials in cells, and can be produced more cheaply than existing technologies.’
Dr Mark Bushfield, Abcam’s scientific director, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with the team at Bath along with Intrinsiq Materials to progress this exciting project with many potential applications in life sciences. The project is addressing a real need for improved research tools to understand biological processes in health and disease.’
Dr Pascu has also been awarded funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to use the nanoparticles to develop a new method of diagnosing difficult to reach tumours, such as those found in the colon, head or neck.
In the future the technology may form the synthetic and imaging platforms for endoscopes able to deliver the nanoparticles to the tumours
This research, in collaboration with Dr Stan Botchway at the STFC and Dr Paul Potter from the Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell, is at an early stage but builds upon earlier STFC and MRC pilot projects by Dr Pascu.
In the future, the technology developed may form the synthetic and imaging platforms for endoscopes able to deliver the nanoparticles to the tumours, making it easier for doctors to diagnose and treat inaccessible tumours.
The team has received additional funding from the Alumni Fund, which is supported by gifts from University of Bath alumni and friends. This grant will be used to buy special filters for the researchers’ fluorescent microscope.