A newly- innovated biotechnology could be used for a wide range of applications, including in cancer screening and the identification of counterfeit drugs.
Researchers created a new generation of nanocrystals called "τ-Dots."
"The revelation of a new optical dimension in nanophotonics offers untapped clinical potential in non-invasive cancer diagnostic kits, rapid pathogen screening for acute infection, and invisible coding for identification of authentic pharmaceuticals," a Macquarie University news release reported.
τ-Dots' luminescence lifetimes (τ) can be assigned to a specific nanoparticle.
"This extra dimension offers an exponential boost in the total number of potential combinations, which can be used for multiple medical tasks or diagnoses simultaneously," Yiqing Lu of Macquarie University, said.
"These nanocrystals can form combination codes, like barcodes, to form a vast library of distinguishable molecular probes, which can be used for complex diagnostics. Screening tests can more quickly and accurately identify the cause of infection, residue cancers at an early stage, and locate the specific molecular targets for targeted drug therapies," ARC Future Fellow Doctor Dayong Jin, also of Macquarie University, said.
The new tools could allow researchers to better identify uncommon events in "high noise areas," such as the biological systems present in cancer screening. The τ-Dots could also "invisibly mark" genuine drugs, making it easier to weed out counterfeit replicas.
"Our ability to layer the τ-Dots' lifetimes enables higher density storage than was previously possible. We can also protect the data by codifying the τ-Dots until they are essentially impossible to crack," Lu said. "By applying τ-Dots to any surface, we can leave a secret message or mark on any product, which will only be revealed by a specially designed scanner. This has huge potential in confirming the authenticity of any product, from pharmaceutical drugs to medical courier supplies."
The paper on the subject titled "Tunable lifetime multiplexing using luminescent nanocrystals" was published in the journal Nature Photonics.
