Multi-scale study of optical properties of quantum-dot-based biomakers for early-stage atherosclerosis

Project funded by Swedish Research Council (Project grant), grant 2011-04381_VR. Participating organisations named by the source: KTH, Royal Institute of Technology. Funded amount: SEK 2,400,000, as stated by the source. Runs 2012-01-01 to 2014-12-31. Keywords: Naturvetenskap, Natural Sciences, Kemi, Chemical Sciences, Fysikalisk kemi, Physical Chemistry. Source: OpenAIRE Graph, from the funder's project data (collected by OpenAIRE on 2025-12-06); national funding data, not CORDIS. Abstract given by the source: Atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major cause of death in the world. CVD diagnosis is currently obtained by imaging pathogenic changes in blood vessels. More direct techniques that will help to better characterize the initiating mechanisms, rather than the end stage changes, are highly desirable. Together with AstraZeneca and Sahlgrensk University Hospital, we have functionalized quantum dots (QDs) with vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) binding peptides, thereafter targeted with VCAM-1 expressed endothelial cells. We are thus able to monitor QD fluorescence to link molecular cellular events to changes in the CV phenotype. In this project we will study fluorescence of QD in terms of its physical and chemical interactions with bio environment by using and developing multi-scale theories. More specifically, quantum chemical linear-scaling method will be used to study optical spectra of amino PEG coated QDs in solutions of different pH values, lipids, proteins and ions; Multi-scale quantum mechanical/MM models to study QD-VCAM-1 binding peptides; and MM models to study binding between QD-VCAM-1 binding peptides and VCAM-1 expressed cells. We aim to understand theoretically the physical and chemical nature of QD surface modifications and bindings with VCAM-1 binding peptide and VCAM-1 expressed endothelial cells to elucidate molecular mechanisms associated with morphological changes in blood vessels for atherosclerotic CVD prevention.

Original source.

Source: OpenAIRE Graph: projects of national funders, OpenAIRE, from the project data of Swedish Research Council. Retrieved 2026-10-28. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (OpenAIRE Graph). Selected metadata, adapted presentation; the publisher's record is authoritative. No endorsement by the source is implied. Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

AI-assisted summary: The project, funded by the Swedish Research Council with SEK 2,400,000, ran from 2012 to 2014 and involved KTH and AstraZeneca. It focused on using quantum dots to monitor cellular events related to early-stage atherosclerosis. Suggested technology pillar: sensing. Generated by AI from the public source text; it may contain errors and the original source is authoritative.