Going for gold: How gold nanoparticles can revolutionise biosensing
Inside living organisms and ecosystems, small molecules like proteins and nucleic acids play a crucial role in maintaining health and stability. By monitoring their concentrations, it鈥檚 possible to detect early signs of diseases, environmental changes, or industrial process variations.
In healthcare, early detection is particularly critical: it can mean the difference between successful treatment and life-threatening conditions. This goal can be achieved by developing small, reusable biosensors that can track such biomolecules in real time.
More effective approach
Traditional laboratory techniques, such as a PCR test or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), offer highly sensitive biomarker detection but come suffer for several restrictions. They are expensive, time-consuming, and require specialized equipment.
For a more effective approach, we need biosensors that can continuously monitor biomolecules in real-world conditions, providing fast and affordable results.
Current biosensing technologies rely on capturing biomolecules using specific interactions, but these methods often struggle with detecting low concentrations in complex fluids like blood.
A promising solution lies in harnessing the power of nanotechnology, specifically, plasmonic nanoparticles that enhance fluorescence signals, making even single molecules easier to detect.
Going for gold
For his PhD thesis, explored how gold nanoparticles can revolutionize biosensing.
By designing a system where a biomarker temporarily binds to a gold nanoparticle and interacts with a fluorescent probe, Lamberti was able to amplify the detection signal, making it possible to track molecules even at extremely low concentrations.
Along with his collaborators, Lamberti demonstrated how this approach improves sensitivity, works in biological environments, and allows for the tracking of multiple targets simultaneously.
Throughout this research, he investigated the physics behind fluorescence enhancement, designed biosensors that function in complex biological fluids, and refined methods to make the technology more practical and cost-effective.
Ultimately, Lamberti鈥檚 work lays the foundation for next-generation biosensors devices that could one day enable real-time disease monitoring with the precision and affordability needed for widespread use in healthcare and beyond.
Title of PhD thesis: . Supervisors: Peter Zijlstra and Ilja Voets.