Abstract: The present invention relates to a population of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles with a diameter between 1 and 100 nm which are coated with a layer with hydrophilic end groups. Herein the layer with hydrophilic end groups comprises an inner layer of monosaturated and/or monounsaturated fatty acids bound to said nanoparticles and bound to said fatty acids, an outer layer of a phospholipid conjugated to a monomethoxy polyethyleneglycol (PEG) comprising a hydrophilic end group, or comprises a covalently bound hydrophilic layer bound to said nanoparticles.

Abstract: Functional nanoparticles may be formed using at least one nanoimprint lithography step. In one embodiment, sacrificial material may be patterned on a multilayer substrate including one or more functional layers between removable layers using an imprint lithography process. At least one of the functional layers includes a functional material such as a pharmaceutical composition or imaging agent. The pattern may be further etched into the multilayer substrate. At least a portion of the functional material may then be removed to provide a crown surface exposing pillars. Removing the removable layers releases the pillars from the patterned structure to form functional nanoparticles such as drug or imaging agent carriers.

Abstract: A microarray includes a solid substrate having a surface, the surface having a plurality of binding spots and a plurality of reaction moieties bound to the binding spots. A reaction moiety includes a plurality of polyacetylene monomers, the polyacetylene monomers having a first coupling region and a second coupling region, the first coupling region having a first functional group operable to bind to the binding spot and the second coupling region comprising a second functional group operable to bind to an accessory molecule; and an accessory molecule having a binding region and an analyte reaction region, the analyte reaction region operable to selectively bind to the target analyte, and the binding region operable to bind to the second coupling region of the polyacetylene monomer. Upon binding a target analyte with the reaction moiety, a color change from the polyacetylene monomer occurs and the reaction moiety produces fluorescence.

Abstract: Articles, compositions, kits and methods relating to nanostructures, including those that can sequester molecules such as cholesterol, are provided. Certain embodiments described herein include structures having a core-shell type arrangement; for instance, a nanoparticle core may be surrounded by a shell including a material, such as a lipid bilayer, that can interact with cholesterol and/or other lipids, and an apolipoprotein may be bound to at least the outer surface of the shell. In some embodiments, the structures, when introduced to a subject, can sequester cholesterol and/or other lipids and remove them from circulation. Accordingly, the structures described herein may be used to diagnose, prevent, treat or manage certain diseases or bodily conditions, especially those associated with abnormal lipid levels.

Abstract: A membrane is disclosed made from a compound having a hydrophilic head group, an aliphatic tail group, and a polymerizable functional group. The membrane spans an aperture and may be polymerized. The membrane may be useful for DNA sequencing when the membrane includes an ion channel.

Abstract: A method for applying membrane lipids to a substrate includes providing a substrate and an ink reservoir having an ink including a membrane lipid. The tip of a scanning probe microscope is dipped into the ink so as to dispose the membrane lipid on the tip. The tip of the scanning probe microscope is brought into contact with a surface of the substrate. The tip is moved over regions of the surface so that the membrane lipid migrates from the tip of the scanning probe microscope onto the surface of the substrate in the regions and the membrane lipid organizes itself in the regions in a form of a single lipid layer or in a form of one or a plurality of mutually superposed lipid bilayers. The tip is removed from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions, methods, and devices related to bilayer and monolayer membranes, their encapsulation in a hydrogel, and their formation. Methods of using the disclose compositions and devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nanostructured device comprising a substrate including nanotroughs therein; and a lipid bilayer suspended on or supported in the substrate. A separation method is also provided comprising the steps of supporting or suspending a lipid bilayer on a substrate; wherein the substrate comprises nanostructures and wherein the lipid bilayer comprises at least one membrane associated biomolecule; and applying a driving force to the lipid bilayer to separate the membrane associated biomolecule from the lipid bilayer and to drive the membrane associated biomolecule into the nanostructures.