Polymer Brush-Grafted Nanoparticles Preferentially Interact with Opsonins and Albumin.

Nanoparticles find increasing applications in life science and biomedicine. The fate of nanoparticles in a biological system is determined by their protein corona, as remodeling of their surface properties through protein adsorption triggers specific recognition such as cell uptake and immune system clearance and nonspecific processes such as aggregation and precipitation. The corona is a result of nanoparticle-protein and protein-protein interactions and is influenced by particle design.

Theoretical and Experimental Design of Heavy Metal-Mopping Magnetic Nanoparticles.

Herein, we show a comprehensive experimental, theoretical, and computational study aimed at designing macromolecules able to adsorb a cargo at the nanoscale. Specifically, we focus on the adsorption properties of star diblock copolymers, , macromolecules made by a number of diblock copolymer arms tethered on a central core; the monomeric heads, which are closer to the tethering point, are attractive toward a specific target, while the monomeric tails are neutral to the cargo. Experimentally, we exploited the adaptability of poly(2-oxazoline)s (POxs) to realize block copolymer-coated nanoparticles with a proper functionalization able to interact with heavy metals and show or exhibit a thermoresponsive behavior in aqueous solution.