Microfluidics in Medical Physics: Developing Nanodevices for Radiation Therapy and Detection

Abstract

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are areas of great and still increasing interest in the last years. Hybrid nanoparticles are now attracting more and more investigation since they present peculiar optical features such as enhanced photoluminescence quantum yields. In Medical Physics, these nanoparticles are essential for the development of advanced radiation detectors, besides applications on new cancer therapies such as plasmonic photothermal therapy and x-ray activated photodynamic therapy. The physical properties of these nanodevices can be adjusted according to the composition, structure, shape and size of the nanoparticles. Therefore, the challenge is to engineer the nanoparticle with specific properties for each application. In this context, microfluidic systems have been successfully employed for the syntheses of nanoparticles and hybrid nanomaterials with excellent control of size and tunable size distribution, morphology and composition. The main goal of this proposal is to explore the use of microfluidics systems to develop new hybrid nanoparticles, to perform structural and morphological characterization as well as surface modification and functionalization, in order to investigate their optical and luminescent properties. These nanoparticles will be applied for ionizing radiation detection as well as in the development of new cancer therapeutics, thereby contributing for the advancement of the medical physics research field.