Tvådimensionell flödescytometry för analys av enskilda nanopartiklar

Forskningsprojekt, 2018 – 2021

Focus is in this project put on the development of a bioanalytical instrumnet providing simultaneous information about size, optical properties and structure of individual biological nanoparticles. This, we foresee, will help characterize in a new way often very heterogeneous biological nanoparticle samples, such as viruses, extracellular vesicles and drug-delivery nanocarriers, and aid their classification into different sub-populations with discrete biological functions - a task that is highly demanding with contemporary analytical tools. The proposed method will offer the possibility to directly correlate individual nanoparticle size with any property that can be obtained using surface-sensitive microscopy, including refractive index, protein-corona formation, degradation deformation upon binding to cell-membrane mimics. The route to help answering these questions takes its base in our internationally recognized expertise in developing state-of-the-art surface-based imaging and microfluidics, while the biological relevance is ensured via close collaborations with medical and pharmaceutical settings. This way, we hope to generate in-depth understanding of nanoparticles that will contribute not only to medical applications, but also be valuable in fundamental and applied nanoparticle research, including nanosafety applications. The planned research is thus expected to have strong impact beyond the scope of the metrology aspects that is put in prime focus.