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We report on the targeted imaging of breast cancer using self-assembled levan nanoparticles. Indocyanine green (ICG) was encapsulated in levan nanoparticles via self-assembly. Levan-ICG nanoparticles were found to be successfully accumulated in breast cancer via specific interaction between fructose moieties in levan and overexpressed glucose transporter 5 in breast cancer cells.

Gold nanoparticle-conjugated fluorescent hydroxyapatite (AuFHAp) was developed as a smart nanoprobe for measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. AuFHAp showed NIR fluorescence due to the hydrolysis of its phosphate groups by ALP. In addition, gold nanoparticles help reduce the nonspecific signal by absorbing nonspecific fluorescence. Through in vitro tests, we confirmed that the AuFHAp probe was capable of detecting ALP levels related to osteoblast activity in living cells with high fluorescence intensity.

We have developed a novel scanometric antibody probe for rapid, sensitive, and naked-eye-visible immunoassays. Using this probe, we clearly demonstrated the successful scanometric detection and identification of influenza A viruses on a microarray. In addition, the sensitivity of the scanometric immunoassay was comparable to that of the fluorescence-based method.

A simple, rapid, and efficient live cell surface labeling method has been developed that uses a direct conjugation between Sortase A expressed transiently at the cell surface and Sortase A specific binding peptide.

A highly sensitive and rapid PCR-free telomerase activity assay has been developed that uses SYBR Green intercalation into the G-quadruplex structures in the presence of K(+).

Indocyanine green (ICG) encapsulated hyaluronic acid (HA) nanogels were first studied for highly selective detection of specific cancers and lymph nodes via hyaluronidase sensitive switch-on of near infrared fluorescence as a long-lasting and stimuli-responsive imaging probe.

The real-time monitoring of the caspase cascade in cancer cells during apoptosis was performed using various caspase substrate-linked fluorescent proteins-conjugated gold nanoparticles as a new imaging probe.

Photochromic compound-conjugated fluorescent fullerene-silica nanoparticles prepared by the reverse-microemulsion method was utilized for photoswitchable cellular imaging by repeatable irradiation of ultraviolet and visible light.

Utilizing a gold enhancement process after inducing electrostatic interaction between positively charged gold nanoparticles and negatively charged target DNA hybridized to neutral PNA capture probes, a new method for label-free detection of DNA was developed and successfully applied to detect H5-type DNA.

A shape auxiliary approach for the synthesis of shape-controlled gold nanocrystals with functional moieties is established; carboxylate-functionalized gold polyhedra were successfully synthesized in a one-pot reaction in the presence of poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), which contains the dimethylaminoethyl group as a shape auxiliary.

A novel type of bimodal imaging nanoprobe based on (19)F-based magnetic resonance imaging and near-infrared optical imaging has been synthesized and applied for the labeling and imaging of dendritic cells both in vitro and in vivo.