Nanofountain‐Probe‐Based High‐Resolution Patterning and Single‐Cell Injection of Functionalized Nanodiamonds

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 5; no. 14; pp. 1667 - 1674
• Main Authors: Loh, Owen, Lam, Robert, Chen, Mark, Moldovan, Nicolaie, Huang, Houjin, Ho, Dean, Espinosa, Horacio D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY‐VCH Verlag 17.07.2009
• Subjects: arrays; Diamond; Drug Carriers; drug delivery; nanodiamonds; nanoparticles; nanopatterning; Nanostructures
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.200900361

Nanodiamonds are rapidly emerging as promising carriers for next‐generation therapeutics and drug delivery. However, developing future nanoscale devices and arrays that harness these nanoparticles will require unrealized spatial control. Furthermore, single‐cell in vitro transfection methods lack an instrument that simultaneously offers the advantages of having nanoscale dimensions and control and continuous delivery via microfluidic components. To address this, two modes of controlled delivery of functionalized diamond nanoparticles are demonstrated using a broadly applicable nanofountain probe, a tool for direct‐write nanopatterning with sub‐100‐nm resolution and direct in vitro single‐cell injection. This study demonstrates the versatility of the nanofountain probe as a tool for high‐fidelity delivery of functionalized nanodiamonds and other agents in nanomanufacturing and single‐cell biological studies. These initial demonstrations of controlled delivery open the door to future studies examining the nanofountain probe's potential in delivering specific doses of DNA, viruses, and other therapeutically relevant biomolecules. Two modes of functionalized nanoparticle delivery for single‐cell studies are demonstrated using a versatile nanofountain probe: direct‐write nanopatterning of drug‐coated nanoparticles with sub‐100‐nm resolution, and direct in vitro injection of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles (see image).