Tailored silver nanoparticles (NPs) in biological environments: Interactions with biomolecules and cells (nano.ag)

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Matthias Epple; Professor Dr. Manfred Köller; Professor Dr. Reinhard Zellner
• Subject Area: Solid State and Surface Chemistry, Material Synthesis ; Biophysics ; Physical Chemistry of Molecules, Liquids and Interfaces, Biophysical Chemistry
• Term: from 2008 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 57812932

Silver nanoparticles represent the class of nanoparticles with the highest commercial impact, being used in consumer commodities, textiles and medical equipment due to their bactericidal potential. The biological action of self-synthesized and thoroughly characterized silver nanoparticles will be investigated at various levels: Their interaction with biomolecules, their entrance into cells, the mechanism of their biological action, the dissolution under release of silver ions, and their fate in the cell after uptake and internalization. These investigations will be carried out under variation of the kind of surface functionalization and the size of the silver nanoparticles. For comparison, gold nanoparticles as a biologically inert material with the same surface functionalization and size will be tested by the same methods.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1313: Biological Responses to Nanoscale Particles (Bio-Nano-Responses)
• Participating Person: Dr. Lennart Treuel