In biological environments, strong interactions between magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) induce aggregation and cluster formation. Additionally, the particles’ mobility changes during cellular uptake or molecular binding. These processes affect the magnetic properties of the MNPs and – consequently – their diagnostic and therapeutic properties. To optimize their biomedical performance, it is thus necessary to determine the behavior of the particles within the body and map the clustering, aggregation, and immobilization of the particles in their biomedical environment.
WG 8.23 constructed in collaboration with WG 8.21, WG 8.24 and the Dynamat group of Ghent University (Belgium) a tabletop setup that measures changes in the state of MNPs in the ensemble with minimal impact from the measurement procedure itself. To this end, the thermal magnetic noise of an MNP ensemble is monitored by Optically Pumped Magnetometers, and changes in the magnetization dynamics of the MNPs are visualized in the noise spectrum [1]. Three proof-of-concept experiments were performed, where the effect of MNP immobilization, MNP aggregation, and MNP cluster formation during cellular uptake is shown on the thermal noise spectra of the ensembles.
Contact: Katrijn Everaert, 8.23
[1] K. Everaert et al., Monitoring magnetic nanoparticle clustering and immobilization with thermal noise magnetometry using optically pumped magnetometers, Nanoscale Adv. 5:2341-51 (2023), 10.1039/d3na00016h
