A simple approach to a microfluidic device is described. The device is composed of flexible tubing and a needle inserted orthogonal to the long axis of the tubing. This design is well suited to creating oil-water interfaces allowing the formation of laminar flows and monodisperse emulsions. The system is characterized by mapping the phases observed as a function of organic phase flow and Reynolds number. In addition, the device allows interfacial polymerization reactions to capture low coefficient of variation capsules. The shell structure and surface are examined by scanning electron microscopy.

The development and optimization of near-infrared (nIR) absorbing nanoparticles for use as photothermal cancer therapeutic agents has been ongoing. We have previously reported on larger layered gold / silica nanoshells (~140 nm) for combined therapy and imaging applications. This work exploits the properties of smaller gold / gold sulfide (GGS) nIR absorbing nanoparticles (~35-55 nm) that provide higher absorption (98% absorption & 2% scattering for GGS versus 70% absorption & 30% scattering for gold/silica nanoshells) as well as potentially better tumor penetration. In this work we demonstrate ability to ablate tumor cells in vitro, and efficacy for photothermal cancer therapy, where in an in vivo model we show significantly increased longterm, tumor-free survival. Further, enhanced circulation and bio-distribution is observed in vivo. This class of nIR absorbing nanoparticles has potential to improve upon photothermal tumor ablation for cancer therapy.

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a severe global problem, most notably in Southeast Asia where millions suffer from acute and chronic arsenic poisoning. Removing arsenic from groundwater in impoverished rural or urban areas without electricity and with no manufacturing infrastructure remains a significant challenge. Magnetite nanocrystals have proven to be useful in arsenic remediation and could feasibly be synthesized by a thermal decomposition method that employs refluxing of FeOOH and oleic acid in 1-octadecene in a laboratory setup. To reduce the initial cost of production, $US 2600/kg, and make this nanomaterial widely available, we suggest that inexpensive and accessible "everyday" chemicals be used. Here we show that it is possible to create functional and high-quality nanocrystals using methods appropriate for manufacturing in diverse and minimal infrastructure, even those without electricity. We suggest that the transfer of this knowledge is best achieved using an open source concept.