Near infrared fluorescent biosensors for steroid hormones

1. A composition, comprising:

a complex, wherein the complex includes:

a nanostructure; and

a polymer, the polymer adsorbed on the nanostructure and the polymer being free from selective binding to an analyte in the absence of being adsorbed on the nanostructure, wherein the polymer is a heteropolymer including a hydrophobic region and a hydrophilic region and the polymer includes a template moiety; and

a selective binding site associated with the complex, the selectivity of the selective binding site being dependent on the template moiety.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure is a photoluminescent nanostructure.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the photoluminescent nanostructure is a nanotube, a carbon nanotube, or a single-walled carbon nanotube.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer includes a polystyrene.

5. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the polymer includes a polyacrylate.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polyacrylate-polystyrene copolymer.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is covalently bonded to one or more of the template moiety.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the template moiety includes a steroid moiety.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer has the structure:

wherein n is 1 to 500, m is an integer from 0 to 500, and k is an integer from 1 to 500;

T is a template moiety;

A is a hydrophilic moiety; and

Q is a group that associates with the nanostructure.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein Q is an aromatic group.

11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the template is a cortisol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), pregnenolone, estradiol, prednisone, corticosterone, progesterone, cortisone, aldosterone or prednisolone moiety.

12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the analyte is cortisol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), pregnenolone, estradiol, prednisone, corticosterone, progesterone, cortisone, aldosterone or prednisolone.

13. A sensor including a matrix and the composition of claim 1 suspended in the matrix.

14. A method for analyzing a sample for an analyte, comprising:

providing a composition of claim 1 ;

exposing the composition to a sample;

monitoring a property of the composition; and

determining a presence of an analyte in the sample based on the property.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sample includes a gas, a liquid or a solid.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sample is a biological fluid.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the property is an emission, emission intensity, or an emission wavelength.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein exposing the composition to a sample includes inserting the composition into an animal, a plant, or a fungus.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein exposing the composition to a sample includes incubating the composition with a microorganism, a virus, a cell line, or an in vitro model system.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the presence of an analyte includes determining the absence of the analyte, or determining the concentration of the analyte.

21. The method of claim 14 , wherein monitoring a property of the composition includes creating an image.

22. A method of making a composition including templating a composition that selective binds an analyte, wherein templating includes contacting a nanostructure, and a polymer, the polymer adsorbed on the nanostructure and the polymer being free from selective binding to an analyte in the absence of being adsorbed on the nanostructure, wherein the polymer is a heteropolymer including a hydrophobic region and a hydrophilic region and the polymer includes a template moiety.

23. A system comprising:

the composition claim 1 ;

an electromagnetic radiation source having an excitation wavelength directed at the composition; and

a detector configured to receive an emission wavelength from the composition.