Trends in bioanalytical spectroscopy

Bioanalytical methods based on various forms of spectroscopy are ever diversifying in scope. On the one hand, they are more and more approachable for the common end user in the form of rapid tests and easy-to-use instruments, while on the other hand, high-end instrumental methods of analysis?-?which are used in the larger laboratories?-?are becoming more and more versatile. In the huge field of point-of-care (POC) testing, the main emphasis at present is on glucose, drug, and hormone testing, and the identification of cardiac and cancer markers. In POC testing, the combination of immunochromatographic separation and fluorometric detection with NIR fluorophores has met with considerable success. A common problem with the majority of the commercial rapid-test platforms that still remains is the lack of sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. This problem is mainly due to the mass production nature of the disposable test devices. In the area of high-end instrumental methods, much effort is put in microarray and/or hyphenated techniques. For instance, within the sphere of biochemical laboratory research, high-end spectrometers can assess parameters in ways that were earlier not possible, such as in situ determination of conformational changes of proteins and nucleic acids, direct assessment of rate constants of biochemical reactions, and functional testing of drugs and other biochemicals, without the need for test animals. This chapter presents, largely in tabulated form, the main characteristics of and trends in bioanalytical techniques based on various forms of spectroscopy, and particularly those methods that have been successfully commercialized over the last 10 years.