Amphiphilic, cross-linkable diblock copolymers for multifunctionalized nanoparticles as biological probes

Encapsulation of Nanoparticles with Statistical Copolymers with Different Surface Charges and Analysis of Their Interactions with Proteins and Cells

Encapsulation with polymers is a well-known strategy to stabilize and functionalize nanomaterials and tune their physicochemical properties. Amphiphilic copolymers are promising in this context, but their structural diversity and complexity also make understanding and predicting their behavior challenging. This is particularly the case in complex media which are relevant for intended applications in medicine and nanobiotechnology. Here, we studied the encapsulation of gold nanoparticles and quantum dots with amphiphilic copolymers differing in their charge and molecular structure. Protein adsorption to the nanoconjugates was studied with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and their surface activity was studied with dynamic interfacial tensiometry. Encapsulation of the nanoparticles without affecting their characteristic properties was possible with all tested polymers and provided good stabilization. However, the interaction with proteins and cells significantly depended on structural details. We identified statistical copolymers providing strongly reduced protein adsorption and low unspecific cellular uptake. Interestingly, different zwitterionic amphiphilic copolymers showed substantial differences in their resulting bio-repulsive properties. Among the polymers tested herein, statistical copolymers with sulfobetaine and phosphatidylcholine sidechains performed better than copolymers with carboxylic acid- and dimethylamino-terminated sidechains.

Design, Synthesis, Application and Research Progress of Fluorescent Probes

Fluorescent probes are sensitive, selective, nontoxic in detection and thus provided a new solution in biomedical, environmental monitoring, and food safety. In order to expand the application of fluorescent probes in various fields, the paper discusses the design, synthesis, and characterization of fluorescent probes, explores new design and development trends of fluorescent probes in various fields, and improves the performance and applicability of fluorescent probes by using new materials and technologies to meet the evolving demands of molecular detection in various fields.

Influence of nanoparticle encapsulation and encoding on the surface chemistry of polymer carrier beads

Surface-functionalized polymer beads encoded with molecular luminophores and nanocrystalline emitters such as semiconductor nanocrystals, often referred to as quantum dots (QDs), or magnetic nanoparticles are broadly used in the life sciences as reporters and carrier beads. Many of these applications require a profound knowledge of the chemical nature and total number of their surface functional groups (FGs), that control bead charge, colloidal stability, hydrophobicity, and the interaction with the environment and biological systems. For bioanalytical applications, also the number of groups accessible for the subsequent functionalization with, e.g., biomolecules or targeting ligands is relevant. In this study, we explore the influence of QD encoding on the amount of carboxylic acid (COOH) surface FGs of 2 µm polystyrene microparticles (PSMPs). This is done for frequently employed oleic acid and oleylamine stabilized, luminescent core/shell CdSe QDs and two commonly used encoding procedures. This included QD addition during bead formation by a thermally induced polymerization reaction and a post synthetic swelling procedure. The accessible number of COOH groups on the surface of QD-encoded and pristine beads was quantified by two colorimetric assays, utilizing differently sized reporters and electrostatic and covalent interactions. The results were compared to the total number of FGs obtained by a conductometric titration and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition, a comparison of the impact of QD and dye encoding on the bead surface chemistry was performed. Our results demonstrate the influence of QD encoding and the QD-encoding strategy on the number of surface FG that is ascribed to an interaction of the QDs with the carboxylic acid groups on the bead surface. These findings are of considerable relevance for applications of nanoparticle-encoded beads and safe-by-design concepts for nanomaterials.

Analyzing the surface of functional nanomaterials-how to quantify the total and derivatizable number of functional groups and ligands

Functional nanomaterials (NM) of different size, shape, chemical composition, and surface chemistry are of increasing relevance for many key technologies of the twenty-first century. This includes polymer and silica or silica-coated nanoparticles (NP) with covalently bound surface groups, semiconductor quantum dots (QD), metal and metal oxide NP, and lanthanide-based NP with coordinatively or electrostatically bound ligands, as well as surface-coated nanostructures like micellar encapsulated NP. The surface chemistry can significantly affect the physicochemical properties of NM, their charge, their processability and performance, as well as their impact on human health and the environment. Thus, analytical methods for the characterization of NM surface chemistry regarding chemical identification, quantification, and accessibility of functional groups (FG) and surface ligands bearing such FG are of increasing importance for quality control of NM synthesis up to nanosafety. Here, we provide an overview of analytical methods for FG analysis and quantification with special emphasis on bioanalytically relevant FG broadly utilized for the covalent attachment of biomolecules like proteins, peptides, and oligonucleotides and address method- and material-related challenges and limitations. Analytical techniques reviewed include electrochemical titration methods, optical assays, nuclear magnetic resonance and vibrational spectroscopy, as well as X-ray based and thermal analysis methods, covering the last 5-10 years. Criteria for method classification and evaluation include the need for a signal-generating label, provision of either the total or derivatizable number of FG, need for expensive instrumentation, and suitability for process and production control during NM synthesis and functionalization.

Luminescent Nanomaterials (I)

From molecular probes, also known as fluorophores (typically emitting a longer wavelength than the absorbing wavelength), to inorganic nanoparticles, various light-emitting materials have been actively studied and developed for various applications in life science owing to their superior imaging and sensing ability. Especially after the breakthrough development of quantum dots (QDs), studies have pursued the development of the optical properties and biological applications of luminescent inorganic nanoparticles such as upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), metal nanoclusters, carbon dots, and so on. In this review, we first provide a brief explanation about the theoretical background and traditional concepts of molecular fluorophores. Then, currently developed luminescent nanoparticles are described as sensing and imaging platforms from general aspects to technical views.

Supramolecular-micelle-directed preparation of uniform magnetic nanofibers with length tunability, colloidal stability and capacity for surface functionalization

We report a versatile and efficient platform to prepare uniform magnetic nanofibers with length tunability, colloidal and morphological stability, capacity for surface functionalization and enhanced T₂ contrast.

A critical review on quantum dots: From synthesis toward applications in electrochemical biosensors for determination of disease-related biomolecules

Fluorescent quantum dots (QDs), defined by a diameter size of <10 nm, have been the core concept of nanoscience and nanotechnology since their inception. QDs possess many unique structural, electrochemical and photochemical properties that render them a promising platform for sensing applications. These nanomaterials can greatly enhance the analytical performances of biosensors, namely detection limit, sensitivity and selectivity. QDs are being developed not only because of their ability for signal enhancement but also because of their high capacity for fuctionalization with bioreceptors. In this review, we summarize a basic knowledge of QDs before focusing on their application to sensing thus far followed by a discussion of future directions for research into the sensing field. Due to the nature of QDs, especially their ability to combine nanotechnology and biotechnology, they possess the potential to open a novel paradigm on early diagnosis of diseases using the electrochemical biosensors. Therefore, we try to give a comprehensive view of the role of these zero-dimensional (0D) nanomaterials in the designing electrochemical sensors for determination of disease-related biomolecules, including tumor markers, inflammatory biomarkers, depression markers and archetypal biomarker in diabetes diagnosis. Considering the high potential of QDs for the electrochemistry-based biosensing strategies, the authors suggest that more research is needed on understanding their electronic properties and why synthesis and surface modification methods can affect these properties.

An automatable platform for genotoxicity testing of nanomaterials based on the fluorometric γ-H2AX assay reveals no genotoxicity of properly surface-shielded cadmium-based quantum dots

The large number of nanomaterial-based applications emerging in the materials and life sciences and the foreseeable increasing use of these materials require methods that evaluate and characterize the toxic potential of these nanomaterials to keep safety risks to people and environment as low as possible. As nanomaterial toxicity is influenced by a variety of parameters like size, shape, chemical composition, and surface chemistry, high throughput screening (HTS) platforms are recommended for assessing cytotoxicity. Such platforms are not yet available for genotoxicity testing. Here, we present first results obtained for application-relevant nanomaterials using an automatable genotoxicity platform that relies on the quantification of the phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX) for detecting DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) and the automated microscope system AKLIDES® for measuring integral fluorescence intensities at different excitation wavelengths. This platform is used to test the genotoxic potential of 30 nm-sized citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) as well as micellar encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles (FeOx-NPs) and different cadmium (Cd)-based semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), thereby also searching for positive and negative controls as reference materials. In addition, the influence of the QD shell composition on the genotoxic potential of these Cd-based QDs was studied, using CdSe cores as well as CdSe/CdS core/shell and CdSe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell QDs. Our results clearly revealed the genotoxicity of the Au-NPs and its absence in the FeOx-NPs. The genotoxicity of the Cd-QDs correlates with the shielding of their Cd-containing core, with the core/shell/shell architecture preventing genotoxicity risks. The fact that none of these nanomaterials showed cytotoxicity at the chosen particle concentrations in a conventional cell viability assay underlines the importance of genotoxicity studies to assess the hazardous potential of nanomaterials.

Controlled Assembly of Block Copolymer Coated Nanoparticles in 2D Arrays

The defined assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) in polymer matrices is an important prerequisite for next-generation functional materials. A promising approach to control NP positions in polymer matrices at the nanometer scale is the use of block copolymers. It allows the selective deposition of NPs in nanodomains, but the final defined and ordered positioning of the NPs within the domains has not been possible. This can now be achieved by coating NPs with block copolymers. The self-assembly of block copolymer-coated NPs directly leads to ordered microdomains containing ordered NP arrays with exactly one NP per unit cell. By variation of the grafting density, the inter-nanoparticle distance can be controlled from direct NP surface contact to surface separations of several nanometers, determined by the thickness of the polymer shell. The method can be applied to a wide variety of block copolymers and NPs and is thus suitable for a broad range of applications.

Creating a synthetic platform for the encapsulation of nanocrystals with covalently bound polymer shells

We present a platform for the encapsulation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanocrystals (SPIONs) with a highly stable diblock copolymer shell allowing a homogeneous dispersion of the nanocrystals into a polymer matrix in the resulting nanocomposites. High polymer shell stability was achieved by crosslinking the inner polydiene shell for example in a persulfate based redox process. The advantage of this crosslinking reaction is the avoidance of heat and UV light for the initiation, making it suitable for heat or UV sensitive systems. In addition, we were able to minimize the ligand excess needed for the encapsulation and showcased a variation of molecular weight and composition as well as different ligands which lead to stable micelles. The encapsulated nanocrystals as well as the nanocomposite materials were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle scattering (SAXS and SANS).

Resonant Energy Transfer can Trigger Multiexciton Recombination in Dense Quantum Dot Ensembles

Core/shell quantum dots/quantum rods are nanocrystals with typical application scenarios as ensembles. Resonance energy transfer is a possible process between adjacent nanocrystals. Highly excited nanocrystals can also relax energy by multiexciton recombination, competing against the energy transfer. The two processes have different dependencies and can be convolved, resulting in collective properties different from the superposition of the individual nanocrystals. A platform to study the interplay of energy transfer and multiexciton recombination is presented. CdSe/CdS quantum dot/quantum rods encapsulated in amphiphilic micelles with an interparticle distance control by spacer ligands are used for time-resolved photoluminescence and transient absorption experiments. At exciton populations around one, the ensemble starts to be in a state where energy transfer can trigger multiexciton Auger recombination, altering the collective dynamics.

Supramolecular Networks from Block Copolymers Based on Styrene and Isoprene Using Hydrogen Bonding Motifs-Part 1: Synthesis and Characterization

The combination of controlled anionic polymerization and subsequent introduction of hydrogen bonding groups was established to form thermo-reversible, supramolecular networks. Several polyisoprene-block-polystyrene-block-polyisoprene (ISI) copolymers-with polystyrene (PS) as the main block, and consequently giving the decisive material characteristics-were synthesized. The novel modification approach to post-functionalize the polyisoprene (PI) end-blocks and to introduce different motifs, which are able to form self-complementary hydrogen bonds, was attained. In the first step, hydroxylation was accomplished using 9-borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane. Starting from the hydroxylated polymer, esterification with succinic anhydride was implemented to form an ester group with carboxylic end-group (-O-CO-CH₂-CH₂-COOH). In a second approach, 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole was used as coupling agent to introduce various types of diamines (diethylenetriamine, triethylentetramine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine) to prepare urethane groups with amine end-group (-O-CO-NH-R-NH₂). ¹H NMR spectroscopy was used to confirm the successful synthesis and to calculate the degree of functionalization Df. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed a difference of the glass transition temperature Tg between unfunctionalized and functionalized block copolymers, but no greater influence between the different types of modification, and thus, on the Tg of the PS block. In temperature dependent FTIR spectroscopy, reversible processes were observed.

Composite Polymer Colloids for SERS-Based Applications

Polymers and nanoparticles can be combined into different materials with applications in various fields like catalysis, biotechnology, or drug delivery, to cite just a few. Colloidal composites may vary significantly, ranging from a single nanoparticle stabilized by a polymer shell through a polymeric carrier decorated with hundreds of particles. We review here composite colloids comprising gold nanoparticles, with an emphasis in systems with potential application in surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The focus is on selected strategies for synthesis and functionalization, such as: encapsulation of gold nanoparticles by amphiphilic polymers, polymeric matrices as nanoparticle carriers and smart polymer based composites. We stress the benefits derived from the combination of polymers and metal particles toward SERS, such as chemical and colloidal stabilization in complex environments, and collective optical effects through hot spot generation for optimized SERS enhancement or improved imaging tags.

Exceptionally strong, stiff and hard hybrid material based on an elastomer and isotropically shaped ceramic nanoparticles

In this work the fabrication of hard, stiff and strong nanocomposites based on polybutadiene and iron oxide nanoparticles is presented. The nanocomposites are fabricated via a general concept for mechanically superior nanocomposites not based on the brick and mortar structure, thus on globular nanoparticles with nanosized organic shells. For the fabrication of the composites oleic acid functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles are decorated via ligand exchange with an α,ω-polybutadiene dicarboxylic acid. The functionalized particles were processed at 145 °C. Since polybutadiene contains double bonds the nanocomposites obtained a crosslinked structure which was enhanced by the presence of oxygen or sulfur. It was found that the crosslinking and filler percolation yields high elastic moduli of approximately 12–20 GPa and hardness of 15–18 GPa, although the polymer volume fraction is up to 40%. We attribute our results to a catalytically enhanced crosslinking reaction of the polymer chains induced by oxygen or sulfur and to the microstructure of the nanocomposite.

Water-Solubilizing Hydrophobic ZnAgInSe/ZnS QDs with Tumor-Targeted cRGD-Sulfobetaine-PIMA-Histamine Ligands via a Self-Assembly Strategy for Bioimaging

Exploring the organic-to-aqueous phase transfer of quantum dots (QDs) is significant for achieving their versatile applications in biomedical fields. In this thematic issue, surface modification, size control, and biocompatibility of QDs and QDs-based nanocomposites are core problems. Herein, the new highly fluorescent tumor-targeted QDs-clusters consisting of ZnAgInSe/ZnS (ZAISe/ZnS) QDs and sulfobetaine-PIMA-histamine (SPH) polymer with the α_νβ₃ integrin receptor cyclic RGD (c-RGD) were developed via ligand exchange and an accompanying self-assembly process. It was found that the structure of RGD-SPH QDs-clusters was propitious to reduce the capture of reticulo-endothelial system (RES) in virtue of external stealth ligands, and benefit to selectively accumulate at the tumor site after intravenous injection via active tumor targeting cooperated with the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In the meantime, those clusters also recognized and enriched the cell surface when cocultured with the α_νβ₃ integrin receptor overexpressed malignant cells (U87MG tumor). On the basis of the results, fabricating mutil-functional nanocomposites integrated with the long-term circulation and dual-targeting effects should be an interesting strategy for imaging cancer in vitro and in vivo.

Meta-analysis of cellular toxicity for cadmium-containing quantum dots

Understanding the relationships between the physicochemical properties of engineered nanomaterials and their toxicity is critical for environmental and health risk analysis. However, this task is confounded by material diversity, heterogeneity of published data and limited sampling within individual studies. Here, we present an approach for analysing and extracting pertinent knowledge from published studies focusing on the cellular toxicity of cadmium-containing semiconductor quantum dots. From 307 publications, we obtain 1,741 cell viability-related data samples, each with 24 qualitative and quantitative attributes describing the material properties and experimental conditions. Using random forest regression models to analyse the data, we show that toxicity is closely correlated with quantum dot surface properties (including shell, ligand and surface modifications), diameter, assay type and exposure time. Our approach of integrating quantitative and categorical data provides a roadmap for interrogating the wide-ranging toxicity data in the literature and suggests that meta-analysis can help develop methods for predicting the toxicity of engineered nanomaterials.

Clustering of CdSe/CdS Quantum Dot/Quantum Rods into Micelles Can Form Bright, Non-blinking, Stable, and Biocompatible Probes

We investigate clustered CdSe/CdS quantum dots/quantum rods, ranging from single to multiple encapsulated rods within amphiphilic diblock copolymer micelles, by time-resolved optical spectroscopy. The effect of the clustering and the cluster size on the optical properties is addressed. The clusters are bright and stable and show no blinking while retaining the fundamental optical properties of the individual quantum dots/quantum rods. Cell studies show neither unspecific uptake nor morphological changes of the cells, despite the increased sizes of the clusters.

Tailoring the ligand shell for the control of cellular uptake and optical properties of nanocrystals

In this short review, the main challenges in the use of hydrophobic nanoparticles in biomedical application are addressed. It is shown how to overcome the different issues by the use of a polymeric encapsulation system, based on an amphiphilic polyisoprene-block-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymer. On the basis of this simple molecule, the development of a versatile and powerful phase transfer strategy is summarized, focusing on the main advantages like the adjustable size, the retained properties, the excellent shielding and the diverse functionalization properties of the encapsulated nanoparticles. Finally, the extraordinary properties of these encapsulated nanoparticles in terms of toxicity and specificity in a broad in vitro test is demonstrated.

Data-adaptive image-denoising for detecting and quantifying nanoparticle entry in mucosal tissues through intravital 2-photon microscopy

Intravital 2-photon microscopy of mucosal membranes across which nanoparticles enter the organism typically generates noisy images. Because the noise results from the random statistics of only very few photons detected per pixel, it cannot be avoided by technical means. Fluorescent nanoparticles contained in the tissue may be represented by a few bright pixels which closely resemble the noise structure. We here present a data-adaptive method for digital denoising of datasets obtained by 2-photon microscopy. The algorithm exploits both local and non-local redundancy of the underlying ground-truth signal to reduce noise. Our approach automatically adapts the strength of noise suppression in a data-adaptive way by using a Bayesian network. The results show that the specific adaption to both signal and noise characteristics improves the preservation of fine structures such as nanoparticles while less artefacts were produced as compared to reference algorithms. Our method is applicable to other imaging modalities as well, provided the specific noise characteristics are known and taken into account.

Polymer-assisted self-assembly of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles into well-defined clusters: controlling the collective magnetic properties

The combination of superstructure-forming amphiphilic block copolymers and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles produces new nano/microcomposites with unique size-dependent properties. Herein, we demonstrate the controlled clustering of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs) ranging from discretely encapsulated SPIOs to giant clusters, containing hundreds or even more particles, using an amphiphilic polyisoprene-block-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymer. Within these clusters, the SPIOs interact with each other and show new collective properties, neither obtainable with singly encapsulated nor with the bulk material. We observed cluster-size-dependent magnetic properties, influencing the blocking temperature, the magnetoviscosity of the liquid suspension, and the r2 relaxivity for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The clustering methodology can be expanded also to other nanoparticle materials [CdSe/CdS/ZnS core/shell/shell quantum dots (QDs), CdSe/CdS quantum dots/quantum rods (QDQRs), gold nanoparticles, and mixtures thereof].

Fluorescence spectroscopy of individual semiconductor nanoparticles in different ethylene glycols

The optical properties of single colloidal semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) are considerably influenced by the direct environment of the NPs. Here, the influence of different liquid and solid glycol matrices on CdSe-based NPs is investigated. Since the fluorescence of individual NPs varies from one NP to another, it is highly desirable to study the very same individual NPs in different matrices. This was accomplished by immobilizing NPs in a liquid cell sample holder or in microfluidic devices. The samples have been investigated by space-resolved wide-field fluorescence microscopy and energy- and time-resolved confocal scanning fluorescence microscopy with respect to fluorescence intensities, emission energies, blinking behavior, and fluorescence decay dynamics of individual NPs. During the measurements the NPs were exposed to air, to liquid ethylene glycols H(OCH2CH2)nOH (also called EGn) with different chain lengths (1 ≤ n ≤ 7), to liquid 2-methylpentane-2,3-diol, or to solid polyethylene oxide. It was found that EG6-7 (also known as PEG 300) is very well suited as a liquid matrix or solvent for experiments that correlate chemical and physical modifications of the surface and of the immediate environment of individual NPs to their fluorescence properties since it leads to intense and stable fluorescence emission of the NPs.

A general route towards well-defined magneto- or fluorescent-plasmonic nanohybrids

Herein, we present a general route towards defined nanohybrids, comprised of a fluorescent quantum dot (QD) or superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanocrystal core and a tuneable corona of plasmonic gold or silver nanoparticles (NPs), adhered by a cross-linked poly(isoprene)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymer (PI-b-PEG) matrix. To this end, the PEG-terminus of the amphiphilic polymer was acylated with lipoic acid (LA), which, as is known, forms quasi-covalent Au-thiol- or Ag-thiol-bonds. Surprisingly, by variation of the ratio of the different NPs, inverse core/satellite structures bearing QDs or Fe2O3 around a metallic NP core were obtained. Furthermore, gold NPs or even closed gold shells were grown by in situ reductive deposition of Au(3+) ions on Fe2O3 NP seeds. Finally, in order to demonstrate the scope of the method, ternary nanohybrids, composed of QDs, Fe2O3 and Au NPs, were accomplished. All magneto-plasmonic and fluorescent-plasmonic materials were thoroughly characterized by absorption and emission spectroscopy, TEM and TEM-EDX. Antibody conjugation to these novel nanohybrids proved their practical utility in a prototype immunoassay.

Controlling the physical and biological properties of highly fluorescent aqueous quantum dots using block copolymers of different size and shape

The phase transfer of fluorescent CdSe based quantum dots (QDs) while retaining their properties and offering some advantages concerning the stability and functionalization characteristics is an important and intensively investigated field of research. Here we report how to tune and control the properties of CdSe/CdS/ZnS core-shell-shell QDs in water, using poly(isoprene-block-ethylene oxide) (PI-b-PEO) as a versatile system of amphiphilic diblock copolymers for the micellular encapsulation of nanoparticles (NPs). We show the synthesis of a novel PI-b-(PEO)2 miktoarm star polymer and how this different architecture besides the variation of the polymers' molecular weight gives us the opportunity to control the size of the built constructs in water between 24 and 53 nm. Because of this size control, an upper limit of the construct's diameter for the cellular uptake could be determined by a systemic study with human alveolar epithelial cells (A549) and murine macrophage leukemia cell (RAW-264.7). Furthermore, fluorescence quenching experiments with copper(II) and iron(III) ions show a strong influence of the used polymer on the shielding against these ions. This enables us to control the permeability of the polymer shell from very porous shells, which allow an almost complete cation exchange up to very dense shells. These even offer the possibility to perform copper(I) catalyzed click reactions while keeping the fluorescence of the QDs. All these results underline the huge variability and controllability of the PI-b-PEO diblock copolymer system for the encapsulation and functionalization of nanoparticles for biological applications. As a general trend, it can be stated that those coatings, which were most stable against quenchers, also showed the best resistivity with respect to unspecific cellular uptake.

Glycoconjugated amphiphilic polymers via click-chemistry for the encapsulation of quantum dots

Herein, we present a strategy for the glycoconjugation of nanoparticles (NPs), with a special focus on fluorescent quantum dots (QDs), recently described by us as "preassembly" approach. Therein, prior to the encapsulation of diverse nanoparticles by an amphiphilic poly(isoprene)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymer (PI-b-PEG), the terminal PEG appendage was modified by covalently attaching a carbohydrate moiety using Huisgen-type click-chemistry. Successful functionalization was proven by NMR spectroscopy. The terminally glycoconjugated polymers were subsequently used for the encapsulation of QDs in a phase transfer process, which fully preserved fluorescence properties. Binding of these nanoconstructs to the lectin Concanavalin A (Con A) was studied via surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Depending on the carbohydrate moiety, namely, D-manno-heptulose, D-glucose, D-galactose, 2-deoxy-2-{[methylamino)carbonyl]amino}-D-glucopyranose ("des(nitroso)-streptozotocin"), or D-maltose, the glycoconjugated QDs showed enhanced affinity constants due to multivalent binding effects. None of the constructs showed toxicity from 0.001 to 1 μM (particle concentration) using standard WST and LDH assays on A549 cells.