Plasmonic Nanocomposites for Photothermophoretic Manipulation of Molecules inside Living Cells (Proyecto PID2020-119206RB-I00 financiado por MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033).

This proposal aims to fabricate beyond state-of-the-art artificial nanocomposites that upon illumination, perform active tasks such as motion and transformation of molecules in complex, dynamic media. These nanocomposites, composed of plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) cores and metal-organic-framework (MOF) shells, will exploit nanoscale thermophoresis within living cells. The project involves fabricating a library of core-shell NP/MOF nanocomposites and understanding molecule-nanocomposite interactions. Proof-of-concept demonstrations include intracellular molecule release and molecule transformation within living cells, contributing to advancements in heterogeneous catalysis and molecular transport at the nanoscale for applications in life sciences.