Improved fluorescence imaging and synergistic anticancer phototherapy of hydrosoluble gold nanoclusters assisted by a novel two-level mesoporous canal structured silica nanocarrier.

A novel integrated system composed of hydrosoluble gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), two-level mesoporous canal silica, gelatin and folic acid was for the first time designed and synthesized, which could conquer poor stability of AuNCs and shows aggregation-enhanced fluorescence imaging, cancer cell-specific targeting, and synergistic photothermal/photodynamic therapies for the goal of personalized nanotheranostics.