Gold Nanostars ― Synthesis, Properties and Biomedical Application

This Brief focuses on the synthesis, functionalization techniques, optical properties and biomedical application of gold nanostars (GNS). Various facilities of gold nanostars synthesis as well as functionalization of GNS with PEG, organic dyes, bioactive compounds are discussed. The authors discuss physical origin of the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonances and the way the nano-environment affects them. The implication of the LSPR of gold nanostars surface enhanced Raman scattering is also discussed. The emphasis has been done on the application of GNS for current and emerge needs of medicine, biology and pharmacy. Moreover, properties of gold nanostars as contrast agents for in vivo imaging and interaction of GNS with cells are also discussed in this Brief.

Giuseppe Chirico is full professor in Applied Physics at University of Milano-Bicocca. His main research interests are fluorescence correlation spectroscopy in solution and on cells, photon correlation spectroscopy and metal nanoparticles for biomedical application.

Mykola Borzenkov received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Lviv Polytechnic National University (Lviv, Ukraine). At present time M. Borzenkov is a research assistant at Department of Physics at University of Milano-Bicocca (Milan, Italy). His main research fields are synthesis and application of functional surface active monomers, polymers of biomedical applications, synthesis, functionalization and biomedical application of metal nanoparticles.

Piersandro Pallavicini is associate professor in General and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Pavia. His main research interests are chemistry of nanoparticles and coordination compounds, fluorescent labeled gold nanoparticles, application of metal nanoparticles.