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The main tasks of GPI in
the project are the synthesis of silicon based NP and the biological testing of
NP colloids (mainly photo-toxicity tests and study of photo-sensitizer
accumulation in tissues). The leader of the team (formed by 6 researchers) is
Dr. V. Pustovoy, with great expertise in the synthesis of new optical materials
made of silicon NP and in the applications of NP to biology and medicine. The
available reactor for Si-based NP synthesis needs to be upgraded by
automatization of control and operation systems for getting fully reproducible
results. In order to produce compound NP, a multi-gas input flow system will be
designed and realized. For the control of surface states of multishell NP, an IR
Fourier spectrometer (Bruker) will be employed. The luminescent properties of NP
(including dye doped NP) will be investigated by the available luminescence
spectroscopy set-up. In the course of biological testing, fluorescence and
absorption spectroscopy will be exploited for investigation of NP accumulation
in tumor cells. The actual spectroscopic set-up will be up-graded by acquisition
of (i): a violet laser for effective fluorescence excitation of Si NP; (ii) a
NIR linear detector, covering the 1000-1400 nm range, in order to reveal the
absorption and fluorescence spectra of NP in tumor cells. For fluorescence
microscopy imaging in cells, the available system is going to be up-graded by
acquisition of a CCD imaging camera. The GPI human resources involved in the
project include 1 senior scientist, 3 staff scientists, 2 PhD students and two
technicians. The experience and skill of the team allows fulfilling the tasks
targeted in the current project.
Some selected
publications:
S. Korovin, S. Vasil'chenko,
V. E. Ogluzdin, V. Pustovoy
Optical properties of
multishelled amorphous silicon nanoparticles
Proc. SPIE Vol. 5850 (2005)
340-345.
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