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Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Nanosensors to Detect Protease Activity In Vivo for Noninvasive Diagnostics
Published on: July 16, 2018
Magnetic Nanosensors for the Detection of Oligonucleotide Sequences
Lee Josephson1, J Manuel Perez1, Ralph Weissleder1
1Harvard Medical School MGH Center For Molecular Imaging Research Building 149, 13th Street, Boston, MA 02129 (USA) Fax: (+1) 617-727-5799.
Abstract:
Superparamagnetic nanoparticles conjugated to oligonucleotides exert sensitive and reversible effects on the spin-spin relaxation rates of adjacent water protons when the conjugates hybridize to target oligonucleotides (see temperature cycle in the picture). The fluid-phase magnetic sensors provide the basis for detecting specific nucleic acid sequences in turbid media and potentially in tissues in vivo.
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