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TARQUS - Modeling-aided design of a TernARy QUantum dot-based platform for multiplexed cell analysiS
Projektleitung
	Dr. rer. nat. Ute Resch-Genger BAM - 1.5 Proteinanalytik E-Mail: Ute.Resch@bam.de
Förderstruktur
	Bund - Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) - ERA-NET - ERA.Net RUS Plus - ERA.Net RUS Plus Call 2017 S&T
Projektbeginn
	01.07.2018
Projektende
	31.03.2022
Projektart
	Realisierte Antragsforschung
Themen-/Aktivitätsfeld
	THEMENFELD Analytical Sciences, * Qualitätssicherung
Abstract
	Fast and highly sensitive detection of an ever increasing number of analytes in parallel is of great importance for life sciences. To address these challenges, we will develop a versatile platform of differently sized particles based on the modeling modeling-aided design of cadmium-free ultrabright ternary semiconductor quantum dots (t-QDs) like Ag-In-S (AIS) and Cu-In-S (CIS) QDs with varying elemental composition and inorganic passivation shells for precise control of the photoluminescence (PL) in the visible and near infrared for multiplexed analysis of single cell lysates and pathogens in the color, intensity, and lifetime (LT) domain. These t-QDs, which show relatively broad emission bands and long LTs of about 100-300 ns, will be used for i.) color and LT-encoding of ?m-sized polymer beads, subsequently surface-functionalized with targetspecific bioligands and ii.) (time-resolved, TR) fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays, with one t-QD acting as FRET donor for up three spectrally distinguishable organic dyes employed as labels of different antibodies. t-QD design will involve modeling of electronic energy structures of AIS and CIS QDs as well as optimum chemical composition and shell structures. FRET efficiencies will be modeled with e.g., density functional and kp-perturbation theory. Pursued detection schemes for representative biomarkers from cell lysates and pathogens will include a microfluidic device, a miniaturized flow cytometer (FCM), and a novel LT FCM, discriminating beads by their LT codes and quantifying dye-labeled bead-bound biomolecules in the intensity domain in a separate detection channel. The outcome of the project will be a unique detection technology for life sciences and a new interdisciplinary network of scientists in Russia, Switzerland, and Germany involving knowledge transfer, e.g., modeling from Russia to EU and microfluidic technology to Russia and exchange of young scientists.