Biosensor electrophoresis

1. A method of performing gel electrophoresis comprising:

(a) separating molecules in a gel by electrophoresis, wherein the gel comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein a calorimetric resonant label-free biosensor is in the gel, wherein the biosensor comprises:

(i) a one- or two-dimensional grating comprised of a high refractive index material deposited on a substrate comprising a low refractive index material;

(ii) a film of electrically conducting material on a top surface of the grating; and

(iii) one or more receptor molecules immobilized on the electrically conducting material;

(b) applying a metal sheet to the top surface of the gel, so that the separated molecules are between the metal sheet and the immobilized receptor molecules of the biosensor; and

(c) applying voltage between the metal plate and the biosensor so that the separated molecules move towards the immobilized receptor molecules of the biosensor.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining peak wavelength values across the biosensor surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the peak wavelength values are determined by a biosensor illumination and readout system that is located under the biosensor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the illumination and readout system comprises a dual-fiber optical probe.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the illumination and readout system comprises an imaging spectrometer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one- or two-dimensional grating is formed in the substrate material and a film of higher refractive index material is deposited on a top surface of the grating.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gel is selected from the group consisting of an agarose gel, a polyacrylamide gel, a polysaccharide agarose gel, a gradient gel, an isoelectric focusing gel, a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel, a two-dimensional electrophoresis gel, and combinations thereof.

8. A method of performing gel electrophoresis comprising:

(a) separating molecules in a gel by electrophoresis, wherein the gel comprises a top surface and a bottom surface,

(b) placing a colorimetric resonant label-free biosensor onto the top surface of the gel, wherein the biosensor comprises:

(i) a one- or two-dimensional grating comprised of a high refractive index material deposited on a substrate comprising a low refractive index material;

(ii) a film of electrically conducting material on a top surface of the grating; and

a. one or more receptor molecules immobilized on the electrically conducting material;

wherein, the one or more receptor molecules are in contact with the top surface of the gel;

(c) applying a voltage to the gel such that the separated molecules are attracted to the immobilized receptor molecules of the biosensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining peak wavelength values across the biosensor surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the peak wavelength values are determined by a biosensor illumination and readout system that is located under the biosensor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the illumination and readout system comprises a dual-fiber optical probe.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the illumination and readout system comprises an imaging spectrometer.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one- or two-dimensional grating is formed in the substrate material and a film of higher refractive index material is deposited on a top surface of the grating.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the gel is selected from the group consisting of an agarose gel, a polyacrylamide gel, a polysaccharide agarose gel, a gradient gel, an isoelectric focusing gel, a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel, a two-dimensional electrophoresis gel, and combinations thereof.