New insight of biocompatible surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanotag for spectroscopic detection and bioimaging of human cancer

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a versatile technique, which enhances the intensity of the vibrational spectra of a molecule by several order of magnitude when the molecule is in close proximity of metallic nanoparticles made of gold or silver. The recent high demand for a reliable and sensitive detection of multiple biomarkers and ligands in vitro lead to the use of nanoparticles (NPs) based SERS technique, which can combine the advantages such as the ease of delivery associated with NPs and vibrational spectral fingerprinting of SERS. We have studied a systematic and comprehensive screening and selection process to identify ultra sensitive and potential multiplexing-capable novel SERS nanotags for in vitro and in vivo imaging. A simple high throughput screening combined by chemical optimization will provide clinically relevant SERS probes. As a practical application of the novel probes, we will target and visualize specific cancer biomarkers EGFR, Her2, p16, Ki-67, CA 15-3 and CEA which are important biomarkers for cancer detection and therapy, e.g. cervical cancer, lung and breast. Our specific aims of the study: Screening of diverse sets of Raman active molecules (Raman reporters) as SERS nanotags for both visible and NIR region yielding distinctive with highly sensitive well resolved Raman spectra; Development of the best SERS nanotags for in vitro and in vivo detection and imaging; Biomedical Application: Early diagnosis through SERS-nanotag attached biomarkers of cervical cancer, breast cancer lung cancer; Optical instrumentation for the in vivo imaging in an animal models using SERS nanotags