In the first demonstration of pretend play in a non-human, the ape favoured a cup filled with imaginary juice over one with its ‘contents’ emptied.

"You can't have a cut of that scale and not expect to see a massive impact."

Dieke diagrams have formed the basis for describing the electronic structure of f-block ions, but experimental methods have improved since their development. Here, the authors use experimental data to...

Abstract. Since 2004, podcasts have emerged as a decentralized medium for science communication to the global public. However, to date, there have been no

Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive and fast-progressing brain tumor with high recurrence rates and poor patient survival. Its resistance to conventional treatments and limited therapeutic options highlight the urgent need for innovative strategies to improve outcomes. In this scenario, we present a multifunctional biomimetic nanoplatform designed for targeted therapy and bioimaging of GB. The system comprises core–shell upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) coated with a mesoporous silica (UCNP@mSiO2), loaded with the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ), and cloaked with U251 GB cell membranes (BUCNP:TMZ). The mesoporous silica shell enhances stability and drug-loading capacity, while the membrane coating improves colloidal stability, immune evasion, and homotypic targeting. The UCNP core enables real-time near-infrared (NIR) imaging under 980 nm excitation. BUCNP:TMZ exhibits an average diameter of approximately 80 nm, a TMZ encapsulation efficiency of 58.5%, and drug complete release after 4 h at pH 5.5. Cellular internalization studies demonstrated preferential uptake of BUCNP:TMZ in homologous U251 GB cells compared to nonparental U87 and nonmalignant HDFn cells. Cell-viability assays showed a concentration-dependent cytotoxic response, with BUCNP:TMZ reducing U251 viability by over 50% at 50 μg mL–1, while showing minimal toxicity toward HDFn fibroblasts. This multifunctional nanoplatform integrates targeted delivery, NIR bioimaging, and sustained drug release into a single construct, offering a promising approach for GB theranostics.

PhD Project - Accessible Synthesis of Lanthanide-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles at University of Strathclyde, listed on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Accessible Synthesis of Lanthanide-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles at University of Strathclyde, listed on FindAPhD.com

This fellowship is for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their research career and wish to conduct research in the UK.

Ultraviolet- and violet-emitting upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for applications in photobiology, photochemistry, solid-state lasing, and energy storage. However, their use has been ...