Lectin-Functionalized Chitosan Nanoparticle-Based Biosensor for Point-of-Care Detection of Bacterial Infections.

The WHO estimates an average of 10 million deaths per year due to the increasing number of infections and the predominance of drug resistance. To improve clinical outcomes and contain the spread of infections, the development of newer diagnostic tools is imperative to reduce the time and cost involved to reach the farthest population. The current study focuses on the development of a point-of-care technology that uses crystal violet entrapped, lectin functionalized chitosan nanoparticles to detect the presence of clinically relevant bacterial infections.

Development of smart core-shell nanoparticle-based sensors for the point-of-care detection of alpha amylase in diagnostics and forensics.

Smart biocompatible materials, responsive to various external stimuli, hold immense potential in the development of biosensors for low-cost diagnostics. The present paper outlines the development of smart enzyme-responsive core-shell nanoparticle-based sensors as low-cost diagnostics for alpha amylase detection. The biocompatible core-shell nanoparticles of 200-250 nm size consisted of a chitosan-tripolyphosphate core formed by ionic gelation coated with a starch-iodine shell.

Core-shell nanoparticles as platform technologies for paper based point-of-care devices to detect antimicrobial resistance.

Globally, rapid development of antibiotic resistance amongst pathogens has led to limited treatment options and high indirect costs to health management. There is a need to avoid misuse of available antibiotics and to develop rapid, affordable and accessible diagnostic technologies to detect drug resistance even in resource limited settings. This study reports the development of instrument-free point-of-care devices for detection of antibiotic resistance for rapid diagnosis of drug resistance in the penicillin, cephalosporin and carbapenem groups of antibiotics.

Development of color changing polydiacetylene-based biomimetic nanovesicle platforms for quick detection of membrane permeability across the blood brain barrier.

Membrane permeability through passive diffusion is one of the important pathways for passage of drugs across the blood brain barrier (BBB). The present study describes the development of biomimetic unilamellar lipopolymeric nanovesicles of size 268 ± 37 nm, consisting of polar brain lipids in conjunction with polydiacetylene and validation of their application for an abbreviated yet accurate membrane permeability assay with high-throughput and rapid identification of BBB permeability of drugs. The nanovesicle suspension was tested with drugs of known permeability across the BBB to validate the detection of changes in hue, absorbance and fluorescence in response to permeation across the nanovesicles.

Smart material platforms for miniaturized devices: implications in disease models and diagnostics.

Smart materials are responsive to multiple stimuli like light, temperature, pH and redox reactions with specific changes in state. Various functionalities in miniaturised devices can be achieved through the application of "smart materials" that respond to changes in their surroundings. The change in state of the materials in the presence of a stimulus may be used for on demand alteration of flow patterns in devices, acting as microvalves, as scaffolds for cellular aggregation or as modalities for signal amplification.

Smart nanoparticles as targeting platforms for HIV infections.

While Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections are reducing in incidence with the advent of Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART), there remain a number of challenges including the existence of reservoirs, drug resistance and anatomical barriers to antiretroviral therapy. To overcome these, smart nanoparticles with stimuli responsive release are proposed for delivery of anti-retroviral agents. The paper highlights the strategic similarities between the design of smart antiretroviral nanocarriers and those optimized for cancer chemotherapy.