Nanoscience and Molecular Nanotechnology

Biography

Biography: Dr. Borja Sepulveda

Abstract

Magnetic nanostructures have demonstrated their enormous potential as biomedical nanodevices with both therapeutic and diagnostic activities. One of the most promising application is their use as heat mediators for magnetic fluid hyperthermia, where the nanostructures dissipate heat in the presence of alternating magnetic fields. Similarly, plasmonic nanostructures also exhibit encouraging properties in plasmonic absorption hyperthermia, where plasmonic nanostructures generate heat when irradiated with laser light. Thus, combining both properties in a single entity, i.e., magnetoplasmonic nanostructures, may open new avenues in the design of biomedical nanoplatfoms. Here we present two approaches for the design of magnetoplasmonic nanostructures for biomedical applications using bottom-up and top-down approaches. Magnetic-plasmonic nanoparticles of different sizes and morphologies based on Fe₃O4 and Au were synthesized by thermal decomposition (bottom-up). This method allows the synthesis of particles with high crystallinity, defined shape and narrow size distribution. Colloidal lithography (top-down) was used to develop magnetoplasmonic nanodomes based on Au and Fe. Both types of structures exhibit appealing magnetic properties at room temperature and clear plasmonic resonances. Hyperthermia measurements show that these nanostructures can be used as heat mediators in magnetic and plasmonic modes. Moreover, the combination or magnetic and plasmonic moieties confers the system additional functionalities like the capability to act as contrast agent for X-Ray Computed Tomography and optical imaging (Au) or as magnetic resonance imaging, MRI (Fe and Fe₃O₄). This combination of properties paves the way to use these hybrid nanostructures as potential theranostic (therapy-diagnostic) agents.