Opto-digital molecular analytics

In contrast to conventional ensemble-average-based methods, opto-digital molecular analytic approaches digitize detection by physically partitioning individual detection events into discrete compartments or directly locating and analyzing the signals from single molecules. The sensitivity can be enhanced by signal amplification reactions, signal enhancement interactions, labelling by strong signal emitters, advanced optics, image processing, and machine learning, while specificity can be improved by designing target-selective probes and profiling molecular dynamics. With the capabilities to attain a limit of detection several orders lower than the conventional methods, reveal intrinsic molecular information, and achieve multiplexed analysis using a small-volume sample, the emerging opto-digital molecular analytics may be revolutionarily instrumental to clinical diagnosis, molecular chemistry and science, drug discovery, and environment monitoring. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances, offer insights into the underlying mechanisms, give comparative discussions on different strategies, and discuss the current challenges and future possibilities.