Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 15, 2026
06:42
Wide-field Fluorescent Microscopy and Fluorescent Imaging Flow Cytometry on a Cell-phone
Published on: April 11, 2013
24.1K
Direct single-molecule detection and super-resolution imaging with a low-cost portable smartphone-based microscope
Morgane Loretan1, Mariano Barella2,3, Nathan Fuchs1
1Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Nature Communications
|October 8, 2025
Summary
We developed a low-cost, portable smartphone fluorescence microscope for direct single-molecule detection. This portable device enables sensitive molecular detection for point-of-care diagnostics and field applications.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Microscopy
- Point-of-Care Diagnostics
Background:
- Single-molecule detection offers ultimate sensitivity but typically requires expensive, lab-based equipment.
- Existing methods often rely on signal amplification, adding complexity and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a low-cost, portable smartphone-based fluorescence microscope for direct single-molecule detection.
- To demonstrate the adaptability and broad spectral range of the smartphone microscope.
- To illustrate its potential for point-of-care applications.
Main Methods:
- Leveraged smartphone image sensors and data processing capabilities.
- Developed a portable fluorescence microscope adaptable to various smartphones.
- Utilized single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) for cellular imaging.
- Implemented a single-molecule bioassay for RNA detection.
Main Results:
- Successfully detected single-molecule fluorescence directly without amplification.
- Demonstrated single-molecule measurements on DNA origami models.
- Performed super-resolution microscopy on cells.
- Validated its potential as a point-of-care device for RNA detection.
Conclusions:
- The smartphone-based fluorescence microscope offers a low-cost, portable solution for single-molecule detection.
- This technology enables innovative applications in distributed or personalized assays.
- Potential applications include digital bioassays, POC diagnostics, field studies, and STEM education.
