Nanosphere Beacons for Real-Time Detection In Vivo

Current techniques for real-time detection of signaling pathways in live cells are limited. Accacia International LLC, will develop better strategies by combining the signaling properties of molecular beacons and aptamer beacons with the advantages of quantum dot photoluminescence to produce quantum dot beacons (QDBs). In order to demonstrate the potential of these novel signaling nanoparticles, Accacia will generate QDBs targeting both mRNA and protein targets. The designs will be tested both in vitro and in vivo. These experiments should provide a solid foundation for the future design and generation of additional QDBs which will potentiate parallel detection of all the components of a cell signaling cascade.