Paper Title
TUNABLE FLUORESCENT CARBON DOTS SYNTHESIZED FROM DAIRY WHEY FOR ADVANCED CANCER NANOMEDICINE: BIOIMAGING AND THERANOSTIC APPLICATIONS.

Abstract
Carbon nanomaterials have emerged as pivotal tools in cancer nanomedicine, with carbon dots (CDots) standing out as a secure, biocompatible, and versatile option for a wide range of biomedical applications. These applications include drug and gene delivery, toxin absorption, nanosensors, and hyperthermia. CDots are semiconductor nanoparticles, typically 2 to 10 nm in diameter, renowned for their exceptional biocompatibility, optical absorption, chemical stability, low toxicity, and radiation resistance. These properties make them particularly promising for cancer treatment and diagnostics. This study focuses on the synthesis of CDots with tunable fluorescence emission, leveraging a green chemistry approach to transform dairy whey, a by-product of the dairy industry, into high-quality CDots. Whey, with its uniform composition of approximately 63-75% lactose (a disaccharide of glucose and galactose) and 11-15% globular proteins rich in sulfur-containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, serves as an ideal precursor. These components play a crucial role in enhancing the quantum yield, surface functionalization, and catalytic properties of CDots during a one-step synthesis process. The project specifically aims to harness the potential of CDots for bioimaging in the diagnosis of brain cancer and as theranostic agents for cancer treatment through photo-hyperthermia in preclinical models. By exploring the conversion of dairy whey into CDots, this research offers a sustainable and environmentally friendly synthesis route and a versatile solution for advancing safer and more effective biomedical interventions in cancer nanomedicine