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Invited Presentation

AWARDS

AWARD03 - Charles Mann Award

Sensitive and Selective Bioanalysis using SERS

Tuesday, October 7, 2025
2:10 PM - 2:30 PM EDT
Location: Meeting Room #4&5
In fifteen words or less, explain the significance of this contribution (Novel Aspect).: Describes the clinical evaluation of SERS lateral (SERS-LFIA) flow immunoassays for drug induced liver injury

Abstract Text:

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an analytical technique with several advantages over competitive techniques in terms of improved sensitivity and multiplexing. We have made great progress in the development of SERS as a quantitative analytical method. Many bioanalytical detection methods exist, with fluorescence spectroscopy tending to dominate, however SERS has the advantage that it is both sensitive and has the ability to multiplex which is limited when using techniques such as fluorescence. We have developed approaches to both identify and quantify the presence of multiple analytes within a mixture e.g. pathogenic DNA sequences, bacteria using SERS combined with data analysis techniques.  

 

Here we demonstrate the development of new bioanalytical assays based upon SERS which have been used successfully for the detection of bacterial pathogens using modified SERS active probes. Biomolecule functionalised nanoparticles have been designed to give a specific SERS response resulting in discernible differences in the SERS which can be correlated to the presence of specific pathogens. In this presentation the simultaneous detection and quantitation of 3 pathogens within a multiplex sample will be demonstrated. We will also explore the use of SERS active functionalized nanoparticles for the detection of biomarkers using SERS based lateral flow immunoassays (SERS-LFIA). In this approach we have developed an assay for the detection of a biomarker related to drug induced liver injury (DILI) in patient samples in combination with a portable Raman spectrometer. This has potential for the triaging of patients for treatment after paracetamol/acetaminophen overdose.