This volume summarizes the state-of-the-art technologies, key advances and future trends in the field of label-free biosensing. It provides detailed insights into the different types of solid-state, label-free biosensors, their underlying transducer principles, advanced materials utilized, device-fabrication techniques and various applications. The book offers graduate students, academic researchers, and industry professionals a comprehensive source of information on all facets of label-free biosensing and the future trends in this flourishing field. Highlights of the subjects covered include label-free biosensing with: · semiconductor field-effect devices such as nanomaterial-modified capacitive electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor structures, silicon nanowire transistors, III-nitride semiconductor devices and light-addressable potentiometric sensors · impedimetric biosensors using planar and 3D electrodes · nanocavity and solid-state nanopore devices · carbon nanotube and graphene/graphene oxide biosensors · electrochemical biosensors using molecularly imprinted polymers · biomimetic sensors based on acoustic signal transduction · enzyme logic systems and digital biosensors based on the biocomputing concept · heat-transfer as a novel transducer principle · ultrasensitive surface plasmon resonance biosensors · magnetic biosensors and magnetic imaging devices

This volume explores label-free biosensors, advantageous in part because this technology bypasses the need of labels, reporters, and cell engineering, all of which are common to labeled techniques but may introduce artifacts in assay results. Addressing several fundamental and practical aspects as to how to implement label-free methods in the drug discovery process, this book covers a wide range of topics, including binding kinetics determination, fragment screening, antibody epitope mapping, protein-protein interaction profiling and screening, receptor pathway deconvolution, drug pharmacology profiling and screening, target identification, drug toxicity assessment, and physical phenotype profiling and diagnostics based on various cellular processes such as cell adhesion, migration, invasion, infection, and inflammation. As part of the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, chapters aim to provide key detail and implementation advice to aid with progress in the lab. Practical and thorough, Label-Free Biosensor Methods in Drug Discovery provides a new avenue for rapid access to a focused collection of highly regarded contributions in the field.

Label-free biosensors are devices that use biological or chemical receptors to detect analytes (molecules) in a sample. They give detailed information on the selectivity, affinity, and, in many cases, also the binding kinetics and thermodynamics of an interaction. Although they can be powerful tools in the hands of a skilled user, there is often a lack of knowledge of the best methods for using label-free assays to screen for biologically active molecules and accurately and precisely characterize molecular recognition events. This book reviews both established and newer label-free techniques giving both the expert user and the general reader interested in the technologies and applications behind label-free an insight into the field from expert opinion leaders and practitioners of the technologies. Most importantly, chapters contain worked examples from leaders in the field that take the reader through the basics of experimental design, setup, assay development, and data analysis.

This book focuses on a research field that is rapidly emerging as one of the most promising ones for the global optics and photonics community: the “lab-on-fiber” technology. Inspired by the well-established "lab on-a-chip" concept, this new technology essentially envisages novel and highly functionalized devices completely integrated into a single optical fiber for both communication and sensing applications. Based on the R&D experience of some of the world's leading authorities in the fields of optics, photonics, nanotechnology, and material science, this book provides a broad and accurate description of the main developments and achievements in the lab-on-fiber technology roadmap, also highlighting the new perspectives and challenges to be faced. This book is essential for scientists interested in the cutting-edge fiber optic technology, but also for graduate students.

This book is dedicated to label-free, non-invasive monitoring of cell-based assays and it comprises the most widely applied techniques. Each approach is described and critically evaluated by an expert in the field such that researchers get an overview on what is possible and where the limitations are. The book provides the theoretical basis for each technique as well as the most successful and exciting applications. Label-free bioanalytical techniques have been known for a long time as valuable tools to monitor adsorption processes at the solid-liquid interface in general – and biomolecular interaction analysis (BIA) in particular. The underlying concepts have been progressively transferred to the analysis of cell-based assays. The strength of these approaches is implicitly given with the name 'label-free': the readout is independent of any label, reagent or additive that contaminates the system under study and potentially affects its properties. Thus, label-free techniques provide an unbiased analytical perspective in the sense that the sample is not manipulated by additives but pure. They are commonly based on physical principles and read changes in integral physical properties of the sample like refractive index, conductivity, capacitance or elastic modulus to mention just a few. Even though it is not implied in the name, label-free approaches usually monitor the cells under study non-invasively meaning that the amplitude of the signal (e.g. electric field strength, mechanical elongation) that is used for the measurement is too low to interfere or affect. In contrast to label-based analytical techniques that are commonly restricted to a single reading at a predefined time point, label-free approaches allow for a continuous observation so that the dynamics of the biological system or reaction become accessible.

This textbook describes the basic principles and mechanism of action of biosensor systems, and introduces readers to the various types of biosensors; from affinity biosensors to catalytic, optical and label-free biosensors, the most common systems are explained in detail. Dedicated advanced sections focus on biochips and genome sequencing methods as well as organs-on-a-chip. The textbook helps readers to understand the elementary components of biosensors, and to identify and illustrate each function in the biosensor information flow, from recognition to transduction and transmission. Furthermore, readers will receive guidance in critically analyzing published studies on biosensor research, helping them to develop appropriate concepts and independently propose their own solutions. The textbook is intended for master’s students in bioengineering, biophysics, biotechnology and pharmacology that need a solid grasp of biosensor system technologies and applications, as well as students in related medical technological fields.

As biosensors comprise a prospective alternative to traditional chemical analyses, enabling fast on- and in-line measurements with sufficient selectivity, the field is expanding rapidly and is offering new ideas and developments every day. This book aims to cover the present state of the art in the biosensor technology and introduce the general aspects of biosensor- based techniques and methods. The book consists of 13 chapters by 44 authors and is divided into 3 sections, focused on bio-recognition techniques, signal transduction methods and signal analysis.