Nanoplasmonic Platforms for Bioassays

Summary form only given. Surface-assembled thin molecular layers and nanostructures offer unique opportunities to study processes and mechanisms of macromolecular (protein-protein or/and protein-ligand) interactions. Possibility to capture the conformational information buried in quantum-level interactions offers unique opportunities for the dynamic monitoring of biophysical and biochemical processes at the molecular level. In this report we are presenting novel developments for bioassays with enhanced sensitivity and capabilities due to quantum-photonic interactions of a fluorescent reporter with metallic nanostructures. We discus three cases of plasmons: (1) in nanometer size particles (localized plasmons and metal enhanced fluorescence); (2) in thin metallic film (surface plasmons and directional surface plasmon coupled emeission SPCE); and (3) combination of nanoparticles with continous nanosurfaces (enhanced and directional emission). We will present examples of enhanced immunoassays, background suppression, and applications of this novel technology to the simultaneous measurement of changes in conformation, orientation and mass that occur when biomolecular complexes form.