Synthesis of Folic Acid Conjugated Graphene Quantum Dot-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanocomposites for Targeted Cancer Cell Detection

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dc.contributor.advisorRouf, Tahrima
dc.contributor.authorNelson, Serana
dc.contributor.committeeMemberWilhelm, Stefan
dc.contributor.committeeMemberTang, Qinggong
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-31T17:27:31Z
dc.date.available2024-07-31T17:27:31Z
dc.date.issued2024-08-01
dc.date.manuscript2024-06-25
dc.description.abstractThe field of nanomedicine has evolved exponentially over the last decade with the development of new imagining modalities, nanoparticle types, and drug delivery systems aimed at treating and diagnosing cancer. Unfortunately, the paradigm for cancer diagnosis and treatment remains incomplete; there is a need for versatile and modular nanomaterials that act as contrast agents for the detection and characterization of pathologies. In this study, folic acid-conjugated graphene quantum dot-hexagonal boron nitride nanocomposites (FA-GQBNs) were synthesized for use as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) labels. Raman spectroscopy is a robust, label-free, spectroscopic technique that provides a molecular fingerprint and is commonly used for identifying unknown samples or compounds. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were synthesized from rice and bonded to hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) through electrostatic interactions. Next, graphene quantum dot-hexagonal boron nitride nanocomposites (GQBNs) are efficiently, inexpensively, and quickly synthesized using a bottom-up green synthesis strategy. Finally, to specifically and selectively target the folate receptor overexpressed on breast and gynecological cancer cells, folic acid (FA) was precisely conjugated to GQBNs to form FA-GQBNs. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized using SEM, TEM, DLS, UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, and Raman. The GQBNs were shown to increase cell proliferation by up to 36% when compared to the cell only group in cell viability assays while exhibiting superior optical and fluorescent properties and the FA-GQBNs were proven to be biocompatible. The FA-GQBNs were extensively characterized and their use as in vitro SERS labels as well as fluorescent labels explored. Understanding the properties and interactions of these nanocomposites provides a foundation for developing cancer therapeutics, drug delivery systems, wound-healing hydrogels, neurological treatments, and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy nanoparticles that could be applied in the field of nanomedicine.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11244/340546
dc.languageen_USen_US
dc.subjectNanotechnologyen_US
dc.subjectQuantum Dotsen_US
dc.subjectCancer Diagnosticsen_US
dc.subjectRaman Spectroscopyen_US
dc.thesis.degreeMaster of Scienceen_US
dc.titleSynthesis of Folic Acid Conjugated Graphene Quantum Dot-Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanocomposites for Targeted Cancer Cell Detectionen_US
ou.groupGallogly College of Engineering::Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineeringen_US

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