SERS-Based Advanced Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a robust analytical tool for the analysis of single-molecule level sensitivity and its capacity of quantitative detection. Driven by the global demand for healthcare and point-of-care testing applications, next-generation diagnostic tools of diseases require sensing platforms that enable a rapid, quantitative readout of analysis with excellent specificity and sensitivity. SERS-based detection methods have demonstrated actuality in accomplishing these goals, particularly when combined with other biosensors.

This comprehensive book focuses on SERS-based techniques for the detection of infectious diseases. It contains detailed and well-organised information on SERS, its workings, the historical overview of its utility, and recent advancements for diagnostic applications. This book discusses the applications of SERS labels and tags, the importance of nanomaterials for the fabrication of SERS substrates/nanotags in the biomedical domain, and the fabrication of robust portable devices with enhanced features. The advantages of SERS integration are compared with traditional detection methods and point-of-care methods, such as lateral flow assays. The integration of SERS-based techniques with smart digital technologies is discussed.

This book provides a broad perspective for researchers, academics, clinicians, and readers to use nanotechnology, nanomaterials, miniaturisation, IoT, and other methodologies with SERS-based techniques for potential advanced diagnostics of emerging infectious diseases.