| Detection scheme
takes lesson from plants
Exploiting a trick
from photosynthesis and quantum mechanics, scientists are using light to
seek out faint traces of biochemicals.
References:
Chen, L., D.W.
McBranch, et al. 1999. Highly sensitive biological and chemical
sensors based on reversible fluorescence quenching in a conjugated
polymer. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
96(Oct. 26):12287.
Further Readings:
Heeger, P.S., and
A.J. Heeger. 1999. Making sense of polymer based biosensors. Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences 96(Oct. 26):12219.
Additional
information about resonance energy transfer is available at http://www.probes.com/handbook/sections/0002.html.
Sources:
Duncan W.
McBranch
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Chemical Science and Technology Division
Los Alamos, NM 87545
Anne L. Plant
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Biotechnology Division
ACSL, Room A253
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8313
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8313
From Science
News, Vol. 156, No. 18, October 30, 1999, p. 279. Copyright © 1999,
Science Service. |