From a Laboratory Exercise for Students to a Pioneering Biosensing Technology

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) principles were established for organic layer analysis in the late 1970s.
• The need for undergraduate laboratory exercises and a multidisciplinary environment drove the first SPR biosensing demonstration.
• Personal insights into the evolution of SPR instrumentation and surface chemistry are incorporated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a historical overview of Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing development.
• To detail the progression from initial SPR applications to the commercial BIAcore technology.
• To highlight current advancements in optical biosensing using accessible instrumentation.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical developments in SPR instrumentation and surface chemistry.
• Description of the initial SPR biosensing experiments and their context.
• Discussion of the evolution of SPR technology, including BIAcore and modern ubiquitous sensing approaches.

Main Results:

• SPR biosensing emerged from foundational work on organic layers and was first demonstrated in the early 1980s.
• The development trajectory led to the sophisticated BIAcore system.
• Current research explores SPR detection using everyday devices like computer screens, webcams, and cellular phones.

Conclusions:

• SPR biosensing has a rich history driven by academic needs and technological innovation.
• The evolution of SPR has democratized biosensing capabilities through advancements in instrumentation.
• Future directions involve integrating SPR into ubiquitous, low-cost sensing platforms.