Grafting gold nanoparticles: to create more sensitive sensors

Due to the benefits it brings, early diagnosis is a key objective that guides most research work devoted to the development of biosensors. It enables an effective and rapid response to the risk of an epidemic, thereby better containing it. At the individual level, earlier intervention improves the therapeutic effect of treatments and patient comfort. In most situations, early diagnosis depends on the ability to detect, at very low concentrations in these complex fluids, a pathogen or biomarker characteristic of a future disease. Improving detection thresholds is therefore a priority in the development of biosensors. Among the different avenues being explored, nanostructuring the sensitive surface of the biosensor appears to be very promising. The resulting roughness increases the sensitive surface area, allowing a greater number of capture ligands to be immobilized, but also improves the orientation of the ligands, making them more effective in the target recognition process.