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Illuminating nano-bio interactions: A spectroscopic perspective

  • Biological Interactions of Oxide Nanoparticles: The Good and The Evil
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Abstract

Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) strongly interact with biomolecules and cells due to their similar size scales. Consequently, ENMs are beginning to emerge as new medical diagnostic tools, probes in cell biology, and delivery vehicles, compelling us to understand the interactions at the nano-bio interface. Optical spectroscopic tools are excellent probes to characterize ENMs and investigate their interactions with complex biological systems, including biomolecules, cells, and even whole animals alike. Here, we discuss the role of many optical spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence, Raman, surface plasmon, and infrared spectroscopy in elucidating nano-bio interactions. While these spectroscopic tools have the ability to provide valuable information on ENM distribution in biosystems, ENM interaction with proteins, and the mechanisms by which ENMs elicit an adverse physiological response, there are many challenges that remain to be addressed to improve their scope, resolution, and throughput.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grants R01 ES019311, R03 ES023036, and U19 ES019525. R.P. and A.M.R. also thank the Clemson University TIGER grant for providing financial support for these projects. A.K. acknowledges support by the Estonian IUT 23-5 grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Clemson University, USA

    Ramakrishna Podila

  2. University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA

    Jared M. Brown

  3. National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Estonia

    Anne Kahru

  4. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, USA

    Apparao M. Rao

Authors
  1. Ramakrishna Podila
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  2. Jared M. Brown
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  3. Anne Kahru
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  4. Apparao M. Rao
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Correspondence to Ramakrishna Podila.

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Podila, R., Brown, J.M., Kahru, A. et al. Illuminating nano-bio interactions: A spectroscopic perspective. MRS Bulletin 39, 990–995 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2014.248

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