Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to the detection of molecules, such as biomolecules, using functionalized particles, including microparticles. In one set of embodiments, a target molecule can be determined using magnetic particles and signaling particles that are able to bind to a portion of the target molecules. After allowing the magnetic and signaling particles to bind to the target molecule, e.g., to from a complex or an assembly, a magnetic field can be used to attract the magnetic particles, e.g., to a certain po sition. Determination of whether the signaling entity is present in the location, qualitatively or quantitatively, can then be used to determine the target molecule. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems for making or using such particles or assemblies, kits including these, or the like.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanofabrication and, in some embodiments, to methods of synthesizing selectively binding patched nanoparticles and the devices that can be made from them. In some embodiments, the invention relates to methods of assembling arbitrarily shaped structures from patched nanocubes and the devices and uses that follow. For example, nanocube building blocks may be patched by stamping their faces with a selectively binding chemical species (e.g. DNA, antibody-antigen pairs, etc.), or by using self-assembly to attach to the nanocubes multiple selectively binding patch species whose immiscibility can be preprogrammed. Arbitrarily shaped structures can then be designed and assembled by deciding which faces will be bonded to each other in some target structure and combining nanocubes that have selectively binding patches on those faces.

Abstract: The present invention pertains generally to the detection of molecules. In some embodiments, it pertains to the determination of molecules, qualitatively and/or quantitatively, using the assembly of nanoparticles into superstructures, e.g., with a predefined shape. In some embodiments, a sample comprising a target molecule to be determined, such as DNA, is exposed to a first nanostructure and a second nanostructure, which may be formed from one or more nanoparticles. In the presence of the target molecule, the first nanostructure and the second nanostructure may assemble, e.g., spontaneously, to form a molecule superstructure. In some cases, the molecular superstructures can be identified by some combination of optical microscopy and automated image processing. In other cases, the molecular superstructure is able to scatter or diffract light, such as visible or ultraviolet light.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to nanofabrication and, in some embodiments, to methods of synthesizing selectively binding patched nanoparticles and the devices that can be made from them. In some embodiments, the invention relates to methods of assembling arbitrarily shaped structures from patched nanocubes and the devices and uses that follow. For example, nanocube building blocks may be patched by stamping their faces with a selectively binding chemical species (e.g. DNA, antibody-antigen pairs, etc.), or by using self-assembly to attach to the nanocubes multiple selectively binding patch species whose immiscibility can be preprogrammed. Arbitrarily shaped structures can then be designed and assembled by deciding which faces will be bonded to each other in some target structure and combining nanocubes that have selectively binding patches on those faces. Other aspects of the invention are also directed to methods of making such nanocubes or other nanoparticles, methods of forming such nanocubes.