Multimodal Bioimaging Agents Based On Luminescent Silicon Quantum Dots

Multimodal contrast agents are desirable for many biological imaging applications. Luminescent biocompatible silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) can be combined with MRI imaging agents, plasmonic nanoparticles, dyes, or therapeutics to create a new generation of such multifunctional probes. Here, we report the synthesis of different nanocomplexes incorporating SiQDs with magnetic, plasmonic, therapeutic and emission enhancing moieties. These multimodal nanoparobes are composed of PEGylated polymeric micelles, with hydrophobic SiQDs in their core, and another functional moiety co-encapsulated in the hydrophobic core or linked to the exterior.  These moieties are characterized and applied to in vitro and in vivo applications. Demonstration of multimodal imaging with these newly developed probes opens the door for use of SiQDs in future diagnosis and therapy of cancer, atherosclerosis, and other diseases.