Immunosensing using nanoparticles

Immunosensing technology is taking advantage of the lastest developments in materials science and inparticular from the nanomaterials field. Because of their unprecedented optical tunability as well as electrical and electrochemical qualities, we are seeing significant developments in the design of novel immunoassays; various conventional optical and electrical platforms which allow for future applications in several fields are being used. Properties of nanoparticles such as light absorption and dispersion are bringing interesting immunosensing alternatives. Nanoparticles are improving the sensitivity of existing techniques used for protein detection in immunoassays based on Surface Plasmon Resonance, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Fluorescence spectroscopy etc. Electrochemical techniques are also taking advantage of electrical properties of nanoparticles. Redox properties of metal based nanoparticles, surface impedance change and conductance changes once nanoparticles are present as labelling tags or modifiers of transducer surfaces are also improving the technology. In most of the examples nanoparticle based biosensing systems are being offered as excellent screening and superior alternatives to existing conventional strategies/assays with interest for fields in clinical analysis, food quality, safety and security.