Nanoparticle activated neutrophils and formation of extracellular traps: Element-specific imaging and visualization of cellular structures on the sub-micrometer level

Element specific images with lateral resolution on the micro- and nano-level can be obtained using photoemission electron microscopy and imaging X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy combined.

These two spectroscopic techniques are today powerful tools to obtain chemical- and electronic states, chemical shifts, work function profiles within the fields of surface- and material sciences.

Lately, due to recent technological advances, these powerful tools have shown to be highly valuable within life sciences.

Our recent achievements in design of nanoprobes for biomedical imaging and contrast enhancement for MRI/CT, inspire us now dig into the cellular level.

The aim is to obtain specific information on the cellular level and literally take a closer look on the nanoprobe-cell interaction mechanisms.We will develop novel approaches to address the following three challenging topics:1) Design and synthesis of tailormade cell- and receptor specific nanoprobes for targeting and element specific imaging.2)  Element specific and energy filtered 3D- mapping on the sub-micron level3) Imaging and visualization using nanoparticles as reporters, with focus on the activation processes of neutrofiles, the formation of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps, and the strong inherent capability for long distance material transportation.

We expect to gain new insight into the reaction mechanisms and the secret behind the orientational structure of the NETs.