Single nanoparticle detectors for biological applications.

Nanoparticle research has become increasingly important in the context of bioscience and biotechnology. Practical use of nanoparticles in biology has significantly advanced our understanding about biological processes in the nanoscale as well as led to many novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Besides, synthetic and natural nanoparticles are of concern for their potential adverse effect on human health. Development of novel detection and characterization tools for nanoparticles will impact a broad range of disciplines in biological research from nanomedicine to nanotoxicology. In this article, we discuss the recent progress and future directions in the area of single nanoparticle detectors with an emphasis on their biological applications. A brief critical overview of electrical and mechanical detection techniques is given and a more in-depth discussion of label-free optical detection techniques is presented. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012