Biomedical Applications of Nanoplasmonics (ICIQ Training Day, Master BIST-UPF)

Metal nanoparticles display interesting optical properties, related to localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR), which give rise to well-defined absorption and scattering peaks in the visible and near-IR spectral range. Such resonances can be tuned through the size and shape of the nanoparticles, but are also extremely sensitive towards dielectric changes in the near proximity of the particles surface and to the specific organization of the nanoparticles within assemblies. Therefore, metal nanoparticles have been proposed as ideal candidates for biosensing applications.

In this communication, we present several examples of novel strategies to fabricate nanostructured materials comprising gold nanoparticles, and their use as substrates for ultrasensitive detection of biorelevant molecules and other disease biomarkers.