Future Prospects for Biomolecular Trapping with Nanostructured Metals

Abstract

Optical trapping with nanostructured metals has allowed for label-free tether-free analysis of single proteins (and other biomolecules) and their interactions with detector-limited time resolution and a duration extending to hours. This Perspective will provide a brief historical introduction, discuss recent advances to augment the technique with other approaches, and discuss the potential for improved performance and widescale adoption in a range of applications from biologics and drug discovery to fundamental biophysical studies.

Topics & Concepts