Abstract: Nanoparticles, such as liposomes etc., containing multiple reporter molecules, e.g. dyes, fluorophores, FRET pairs, semiconductor nanocrystals, fluorescent chelates, chelate complexes, coordination complexes, mass tags, Raman tags, lanthanides, enzymes, enzymatic substrates, etc., through a combination of multiple physical and/or chemical interactions are disclosed. The reporter molecules are associated with the nanoparticle in at least two different ways, i.e. through different mechanisms. The nanoparticle is targeted through a targeting agent such as an antibody, an antibody fragment, a nucleotide, a peptide, an aptamer, biotin, avidin, or a ligand. The nanoparticles are useful in bioassays or imaging where an analyte is to be detected by binding of the nanoparticle to the analyte and detection of a signal from the reporter molecules.

Abstract: This invention provides targeted nanoclusters comprising multiple polyvalent nanoparticle core units or nanoscaffolds, each nanoparticle core unit attached to multiple targeting moieties and multiple detectable moieties. The nanoclusters find use in a broad range of analytical assays, diagnostic assays and as targeted therapeutics.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for labeling biological targets using a conjugate of a luminescent component and a targeting molecule attached to a nanoparticle core structure are described. The labeling conjugates offer high intensity and low background, and are ideal for histology and pathology.