The performance of biosensors, analytical devices that converts biological responses into electrical signals, can be improved by including nanoparticles as detection reagents. A recent paper by Jorge Dias (KTH) and several other researchers at SciLifeLab presents a novel method that circumvent previous limitations such as the need for high surface densities of nanoparticles to acquire a signal or the requirement of enzymatic reactions or highly tailored conditions.

The new technique is enzyme-free, independent of ambient light conditions and allows clusters of less than ten nanoparticles on a sensor surface to become colorimetrically visible to the naked eye or digital camera in less than five minutes.

Read the publication in Journal of Visualized Experiments/SciRep and watch the video protocol demonstration:

https://www.jove.com/video/57297/rapid-nanoprobe-signal-enhancement-situ-gold-nanoparticle