Carbon Nanotube Photoluminescence in Chemical Biology

Molecular probe development is a major pursuit of chemical biologists, to interrogate biological systems. Nanoscale tools, including probes and sensors, similarly enable new capabilities for biological investigation. The development of new fluorescent molecular sensors, by engineering triggered modulation of single-walled carbon nanotube photoluminescence, portends new capabilities outside of conventional chemical biology tools.

One form of carbon nanotube photoluminescence modulation, solvatochromism--the shifting of nanotube emission wavelength, can be induced via changes in the local dielectric/charge environment. We developed molecular triggers to modulate nanotube solvatochromic behavior to probe biological systems. We have developed solvatochromic sensors for nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites, to enable the interrogation of living cells and animals.

Our recent investigations include temporal studies of signaling pathways, investigations of enzymatic inactivation, and the measurements of the accumulation of lipids specifically within the endolysosomal lumen to assess specific metabolic pathways in live cells and in vivo.