Nanofluidic biosensing for β-amyloid detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Trace detection of the conformational transition of beta-amyloid peptide (A beta) from a predominantly alpha-helical structure to beta-sheet could have a large impact in understanding and diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. We demonstrate how a novel nanofluidic biosensor using a controlled, reproducible surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy active site was developed to observe A beta in different conformational states during the A beta self-assembly process as well as to distinguish A beta from confounder proteins commonly found in cerebral spinal fluid.