EAGER: Development of fluorescent sensors of temperature and iron ion concentrations around magnetic particles under the action of an oscillating magnetic field

The goal of this project is to develop optical sensors to understand the mechanism of treating cancer by hyperthermia (overheating). This promising techniques is performed by first injecting magnetic nanoparticles then heating them with a magnetic field. Hyperthermia treatment is still suffering from multiple side effects, which prevent its broad use.

It is currently believed that increased temperature is more toxic for cancer compared to normal tissue. In this project, the investigators will test the hypothesis that the magnetic nanoparticles actively dissolve themself under the action of the magnetic field, thereby adding chemical toxicity, which also helps kill cancer cells. To test this hypothesis, new optical sensors will be developed to measure localized temperature and iron salt concentration around the magnetic particles.

The collected knowledge will be used to increase the efficiency of hyperthermia treatment of cancer and eventually decrease the side effects. The project will also contribute to the education and research training of a female graduate student in this multidisciplinary area including nanophotonics, physics, and medicine, and results will be incorporated into “Introduction to scanning probe microscopy” and “Nano and micro mechanics” courses.

To understand the mechanism of action of hyperthermia treatment on cancer cells, ultrabright fluorescent ratiometric nanosensors of temperature and iron ions will be developed. A thin fluorescent coating of magnetic particles will be sensitive to the change of temperature and the concentrations of iron ions. Ultrahigh brightness of the photonic sensors will allow detecting the changes in temperature and ionic concentration optically, which is otherwise highly challenging.

This technique will aid in the understanding of the action of the oscillating magnetic field on iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. This understanding is important because magnetic fields are considered not only for hyperthermia treatment of cancer but for various other imaging and drug delivery techniques as well. This work will also shed light on the understanding of the photonic properties of encapsulated dyes inside of nanoporous silica matrix of the proposed nanosensors.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.