BACHLOR, MASTER or DIPLOMA THESIS
Studies: Natural Science (physics, chemistry, biology) and/or Engineering
Topics: Nanomaterials, Nanoparticles, Molecular Biology, Laser Technology, Medical Technology, Biochemistry

Supervisor:
Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Chem. Stephan Barcikowski
Telephone: +49 (0)511- 2788-377
Email: s.barcikowski@lzh.de

The Team
The LZH group ‘Nanomaterials’ (11 full researchers, 4 female, 7 male) focuses on nanoparticulate modifications of medical applications via nanoparticle-targeting based on nanoparticle-bioconjugates. Biological and medical testings are always included in the transdisciplinary project, which result in established industrial cooperations.
Research background and focus
Various projects on laser nano-manufacturing and generation of bioactive nanomaterials are carried out by the research group Nanomaterials at the Laser Zentrum Hannover. This research group is characterized by the internationality of its members with German, Spanish, Russian, Iranian and Hungarian backgrounds. In recent projects, the group deals with the laser based generation of nanoparticles, which consists in the ablation of a target in liquid media leading to the formation of a very pure colloidal nanoparticle solution. This process is simple, not restricted to specific material groups such as oxides, and even allows the production of nanoparticles from alloys maintaining their stoichiometric composition. Characteristics of generated nanoparticles can be tuned to a certain degree for all processes by adaptation of laser pulses and process parameters.

Laser generated Bioconjugated Nanoparticles in Regenerative Medicine

The Thesis shall focus on the development of nanoparticle-bioconjugates, which present a promising tool for medical applications as bioimaging or gene- and drug delivery. Within this project, a novel method based on the functionalization of nanoparticles during laser generation should be established, leading to a rapid and reproducible development of nanoparticle-bioconjugates. This in-situ functionalization will allow an easy adaptation to different materials and biomolecules and therefore enable a rapid screening of different nanoparticle-bioconjugates for desired medical applications. In order to determine optimal parameters (laser pulse energy, focus diameter) for generation, their influence on productivity of nanoparticle generation has to be studied and the integrity of biomolecules after laser irradiation evaluated. The characterization of bioconjugates by dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy and AFM will be an important part of the project. The design of the conjugates will be adjusted to defined medical applications with collaborating partners from the Medical University and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover. The functional testing of developed bioconjugates will also be established in such collaborations.