• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1215-1218
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• 2010

We demonstrate the possible application of the sandwich type surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) immunoassay using antigen-antibody binding for detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in cancer cells. In this sandwich type of SERS immunoassay, to capture antigens onto the immobilized layer of antibodies on the gold substrate we prepared the monolayer of gold nanoparticles on the APTMS-derivatized surface of a glass slide by using the SAM technique. This sandwich type of SERS immunoassay in which antigens on the substrate specifically capture antibodies on a Raman reporter (DSNB coated gold nanoparticles with R6G) could successfully detect PSA at low levels. A strong SERS spectrum of Raman reporter was observed only with a substrate in which PSA is present.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.4281-4285
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• 2011

We introduced a promising patterned substrate by using a microcontact printing method that can be used for SERS immunoassays based on antigen-antibody binding. SERS spectrum of the Raman reporter with antibody, which is rhodamine 6G (R6G) adsorbed on colloidal gold nanoparticles, was observed only for the surfaces in which prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is present on the substrate that is attached to an immobilized layer of antibody on the gold nanoparticles layer of the patterned substrate. Raman mapping images clearly showed that the antibodies on the Raman reporter were successfully and selectively conjugated with the antigen on the patterned substrate. This method could be potentially extended to multi-protein detections and ultrasensitive biosensors.

• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2013

This study reports a fiber-optic sensor detecting biomolecule by simultaneously monitoring localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of ca. $50{\pm}5$ nm attached on one end of optical fiber and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the reporter molecules adsorbed on the gold surfaces as an additional sensing tool. The sensor was fabricated by immobilizing Au NPs on one end of an optical fiber by chemical reaction. LSPR and SERS signals of the sensor were measured using various refractive indices solutions. Finally, the sensor was applied to observe real-time LSPR sensor-gram and SERS spectra of the reporter molecule of 4-aminothiphenol during the antibody-antigen reaction of interferon-gamma (IFN-${\gamma}$) as a proof-concept experiment of biological applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.2003-2007
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• 2011

We report a highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform for the selective trace analysis of mercury (II) ions in drinkable water using aptamer-conjugated silver nanoparticles. Here, an aptamer designed to specifically bind to $Hg^{2+}$ ions in aqueous solution was labelled with a TAMRA moiety at the 5' end and used as a Raman reporter. Polyamine spermine tetrahydrochloride (spermine) was used to promote surface adsorption of the aptamer probes onto the silver nanoparticles. When $Hg^{2+}$ ions are added to the system, binding of $Hg^{2+}$ with T-T pairs results in a conformational rearrangement of the aptamer to form a hairpin structure. As a result of the reduced of electrostatic repulsion between silver nanoparticles, aggregation of silver nanoparticles occurs, and the SERS signal is significantly increased upon the addition of $Hg^{2+}$ ions. Under optimized assay conditions, the concentration limit of detection was estimated to be 5 nM, and this satisfies a limit of detection below the EPA defined limit of 10 nM in drinkable water.

• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.281-300
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• 2019

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was first discovered in 1974 by an unexpected Raman signal increase from Pyridine adsorbed on rough Ag electrode surfaces by the M. Fleishmann group. M. Moskovits group suggested that this phenomenon could be caused by surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which is a collective oscillation of free electrons at the surface of metal nanostructures by an external light source. After about 40 years, the SERS study has attracted great attention as a biomolecule analysis technology, and more than 2500 new papers and 500 review papers related to SERS topic have been published each year in recently. The advantages of biomaterials analysis using SERS are as follows; ① Molecular level analysis is possible based on unique fingerprint information of biomolecule, ② There is no photo-bleaching effect of the Raman reporters, allowing long-term monitoring of biomaterials compared to fluorescence microscopy, ③ SERS peak bandwidth is approximately 10 to 100 times narrower than fluorescence emission from organic phosphor or quantum dot, resulting in higher analysis accuracy, ④ Single excitation wavelength allows analysis of various biomaterials, ⑤ By utilizing near-infrared (NIR) SERS-activated nanostructures and NIR excitation lasers, auto-fluorescence noise in the visible wavelength range can be avoided from in vivo experiment and light damage in living cells can be minimized compared to visible lasers, ⑥ The weak Raman signal of the water molecule makes it easy to analyze biomaterials in aqueous solutions. For this reason, SERS is attracting attention as a next-generation non-invasive medical diagnostic device as well as substance analysis. In this review, the principles of SERS and various biomaterial analysis principles using SERS analysis will be introduced through recent research papers.