Abstract: A method of local temperature measurement in a sample is provided. The method comprises the stimulation, at a location in the sample, of anti-Stokes and Stokes emission from fluorophores which are present at the location in the sample, measuring the intensities of the stimulated radiation and calculating the temperature at the location from the measured intensities. The method can be used to obtain a thermal image of the sample.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for photodynamic therapy. The composition comprises ceramic nanoparticles in which a photosensitive drug/dye is entrapped. The ceramic nanoparticles are made by formation of a micellar composition of the dye. The ceramic material is added to the micellar composition and the ceramic nanoparticles are precipitated by alkaline hydrolysis. The precipitated nanoparticles in which the photosensitive dye/drug is entrapped can be isolated by dialysis. The resulting drug doped nanoparticles are spherical, highly monodispersed, and stable in aqueous system. Irradiation with light of suitable wavelength of the photosensitizing drug entrapped inside nanoparticles resulted in generation of singlet oxygen, which was able to diffuse out through the pores of the ceramic matrix. The drug loaded ceramic nanoparticles of the present invention can be used as drug carriers for photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: This invention provides nanocrystals or polymer doped nanocrystals of hydrophobic drug molecules as stably dispersed in an aqueous system which are prepared without stabilizers like surfactants and the like. In one embodiment, the drug is a tetra-pyrrole compound. An example is the hydrophobic photosensitizing anticancer drug 2-devinyl-2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)pyropheophorbide (HPPH). Pharmaceutical compositions comprising nanocrystals or polymer doped nanocrystals of hydrophobic drugs can be used for therapeutic purposes. For example pyropheophorbides such as HPPH can be used for photodynamic therapy. Drug efficacy of these nanocrystals were found to be comparable with that of same drug formulated in conventional delivery vehicles under in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Abstract: This invention provides nanocrystals or polymer doped nanocrystals of hydrophobic organic fluorescent dyes as stable dispersions in an aqueous system. The dispersions can be prepared without stabilizers such as surfactants and the like. The aqueous dispersions of the nanocrystals or the polymer doped nanocrystals can be used for bioimaging.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for photodynamic therapy. The composition comprises ceramic nanoparticles in which a photosensitive drug/dye is entrapped. The ceramic nanoparticles are made by formation of a micellar composition of the dye. The ceramic material is added to the micellar composition and the ceramic nanoparticles are precipitated by alkaline hydrolysis. The precipitated nanoparticles in which the photosensitive dye/drug is entrapped can be isolated by dialysis. The resulting drug doped nanoparticles are spherical, highly monodispersed, and stable in aqueous system. Irradiation with light of suitable wavelength of the photosensitizing drug entrapped inside nanoparticles resulted in generation of singlet oxygen, which was able to diffuse out through the pores of the ceramic matrix. The drug loaded ceramic nanoparticles of the present invention can be used as drug carriers for photodynamic therapy.