Nanoprobes was founded in 1990 by Dr. James F. Hainfeld, along with a group of scientists who were also alumni of Brookhaven National Laboratory. The independent research facility they formed has allowed Dr. Hainfeld and his colleagues the freedom to pursue some of the greatest challenges in research: seeking cures for cancer and other diseases.
While part of the funding for these endeavors has come from research grants, another source had to be found, as the scientific community faces ever-increasing government cutbacks. To this end, Nanoprobes began to offer many of the nanoparticle technologies developed by its members for use in other scientists' research.
Nanoparticle products for the scientific community
As we develop nanoparticle products for the research community, Nanoprobes has engineered some of the most sensitive reagents and technology for detecting biological molecules.
Our unique gold labeling technology uses chemically cross-linked metal clusters and nanoparticles as labels.
Unlike conventional immunogold probes, in which colloidal gold particles are electrostatically adsorbed to antibodies and proteins, our gold labels are uncharged molecules which are cross-linked to specific sites on biomolecules. This gives our probes a range and versatility which is not available with colloidal gold.
Our labels can be attached to any molecule with a reactive group -- proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, small molecules and lipids -- for detection and localization. Other labels can be combined with our gold labels; our unique FluoroNanogold probes combine Nanogold® and fluorescein into a single probe for imaging a specimen both by fluorescence and electron microscopy.
New probes can be engineered based on any fragment of a naturally occurring biomolecule, and the label can be positioned away from the binding site so it does not interfere with binding.
Our 1.4 nm Nanogold® probes have been cited in over 250 publications, and we are now developing larger cross-linkable labels in order to offer our customers larger covalently linkable probes with the same advantages.
Nanoprobes has developed new technology to expand the uses of gold labels for sensitive and rapid medical diagnostics. We offer a range of ancillary reagents for chemical amplification, staining and imaging. We also develop new applications for metal clusters and nanoparticles as components of new materials, sensors and data storage media. For the latest in detection technology and reagents, look to Nanoprobes.
Our research is performed by our highly skilled team of research chemists and biophysicists, in collaboration with leading researchers at universities and private laboratories. The Company has received many grants from the NIH and NSF through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which support many of our research activites.
When Nanoprobes was founded in 1991, its first office and laboratory were in the Long Island High Technology Incubator at Stony Brook, New York. We now occupy a research facility in Yaphank, NY, just east of New York City.
