Plasmonic nanohole arrays for label-free kinetic biosensing in a lipid membrane environment

We integrate periodic nanohole arrays in a thin gold film with lipid membranes in a microfluidic channel. Surface plasmon-enhanced light transmission through the periodic nanohole arrays enables real-time label-free sensing of molecular binding on the lipid membrane surface. This membrane biosensor can potentially act as a natural platform for studying binding kinetics of proteins with their binding partners anchored in the lipid membrane. We also present the concept of using nanopore arrays for kinetic assays of transmembrane proteins in a free-standing lipid membrane.