Method and device for detecting an analyte using phase lag

1. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes including the steps of:

i) providing a sample which contains the analytes and a plurality of different kinds of magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte, each of said kinds binding to a different analyte by virtue of having a different receptor moiety;

ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field and varying the direction of the applied magnetic field at a desired frequency;

iii) introducing polarized electromagnetic radiation into the sample;

iv) detecting a phase lag between the magnetic nanoparticles and the frequency of the variation of the direction of the applied magnetic field by detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and

v) correlating the phase lag with the presence of the analytes in which the phase lag associated with each of said kinds of magnetic nanoparticles when bound to its associated analyte is different, allowing the phase lag to be correlated with the presence of the associated analyte.

2. A method of detecting plurality of analytes according to claim 1 in which the electromagnetic radiation propagates through the sample along an axis which is transverse to the direction of the applied magnetic field.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the direction of the applied magnetic field is varied by rotating said direction about the sample at a desired rotational frequency.

4. A method according to claim 3 in which the rotational frequency is varied.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the phase lag is detected as a function of the rotational frequency.

6. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 1 in which the electromagnetic radiation is in the range 400 to 2500 nm.

7. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 1 in which the plurality of analyte are a bio-molecule or biological material.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency in step (ii) is 50 Hz or less.

9. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 1 in which the magnetic body portion includes a magnetic core and a surface coating.

10. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 9 in which the surface coating and the electromagnetic radiation interact to produce plasmons, thereby enhancing the detection of the physical property.

11. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 9 in which the detected physical property is fluorescence emitted from the surface coating.

12. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes according to claim 9 in which the surface coating is gold.

13. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes including the steps of:

i) providing a sample which contains the analytes and a plurality of different kinds of magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte, each of said kinds binding to a different analyte by virtue of having a different receptor moiety;

ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field and varying the direction of the applied magnetic field by rotating said direction about the sample at a desired rotational frequency;

iii) introducing polarized electromagnetic radiation into the sample;

iv) detecting a phase lag between the magnetic nanoparticles and the rotational frequency of the applied magnetic field by detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and

v) correlating the detected phase lag with the presence of the analytes in which the phase lag associated with each of said kinds of magnetic nanoparticles when bound to its associated analyte is different, allowing the phase lag to be correlated with the presence of the associated analyte.

14. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes including the steps of:

i) providing a sample which contains the analytes and a plurality of different kinds of magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte, each of said kinds binding to a different analyte by virtue of having a different receptor moiety;

ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field and varying the direction of the applied magnetic field by rotating said direction about the sample at a desired rotational frequency, wherein the rotational frequency is varied;

iii) introducing polarized electromagnetic radiation into the sample;

iv) detecting a phase lag between the magnetic nanoparticles and the rotational frequency of the applied magnetic field as a function of the rotational frequency by detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and

v) correlating the phase lag with the presence of the analytes in which the phase lag associated with each of said kinds of magnetic nanoparticles when bound to its associated analyte is different, allowing the phase lag to be correlated with the presence of the associated analyte.

15. A method of detecting a plurality of analytes including the steps of:

i) providing a sample which contains the analytes and a plurality of different kinds of magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte, each of said kinds binding to a different analyte by virtue of having a different receptor moiety;

ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field and varying the direction of the applied magnetic field at a frequency of 50 Hz or less;

iii) introducing electromagnetic radiation into the sample;

iv) detecting a phase lag between the magnetic nanoparticles and the frequency of the variation of the direction of the applied magnetic field by detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and

v) correlating the phase lag with the presence of the analytes in which the phase lag associated with each of said kinds of magnetic nanoparticles when bound to its associated analyte is different, allowing the phase lag to be correlated with the presence of the associated analyte.