We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest research article in Frontiers in Photonics, entitled:
“Plasmonic metasurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for label-free discrimination of human and murine noroviruses.”
Noroviruses are among the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide, making rapid and reliable detection an important challenge for biomedical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. In this study, our research team developed an advanced plasmonic metasurface based on Y-shaped gold nanocavities, specifically engineered to enhance Raman signals through Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS).
Detecting Viruses Through Their Molecular Fingerprints
Unlike conventional approaches that often rely on antibodies, aptamers, Raman reporters, or other target-specific labels, our platform exploits the intrinsic vibrational fingerprints of viral particles. The engineered Y-shaped nanocavities generate highly localized plasmonic electromagnetic hotspots, strongly enhancing the Raman response of biological molecules deposited on the metasurface. Using this strategy, we investigated two closely related viruses: Human Norovirus (HNoV) and Murine Norovirus (MNV). Despite their structural and biochemical similarities, the SERS spectra revealed reproducible molecular differences between the two viral species.
SERS Meets Multivariate Analysis
To extract and classify these subtle spectral differences, SERS measurements were combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The first two principal components accounted for more than 98% of the total spectral variance, enabling a clear separation between human and murine norovirus samples. Importantly, the study was performed using independently fabricated plasmonic metasurfaces and measurements acquired from multiple spatial positions, demonstrating the robustness and reproducibility of the sensing strategy.
Toward Rapid Nanophotonic Biosensing
This work demonstrates the potential of combining plasmonic metasurfaces, SERS molecular fingerprinting, and statistical analysis for the label-free identification of closely related viral pathogens. The proposed approach represents a promising step toward future nanophotonic sensing platforms for rapid pathogen classification, biomedical diagnostics, and environmental monitoring, while reducing dependence on complex labeling procedures and target-specific recognition molecules. This research was carried out through the collaboration between the Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello” (ISASI-CNR) and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno (IZSM).
Congratulations to Bryan Guilcapi, Alessia Milano, Amalia D’Avino, Domenico Sagnelli, Massimo Rippa, Valentina Marchesano, Giovanna Fusco, and Lucia Petti for this new achievement!
Acknowledgments:
A special and heartfelt thank you to our group leader, Dr. Lucia Petti from ISASI – CNR – Pozzuoli for continuous support throughout this work. Our sincere gratitude also goes to Dr. Giovanna Fusco for her valuable collaboration and for generously supporting the Article Processing Charge (APC) associated with the publication of this work.
Discover Our Article
📖 Frontiers in Photonics – Biophotonics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphot.2026.1864447
Site: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/photonics/articles/10.3389/fphot.2026.1864447/full
#SERS #Plasmonics #Nanophotonics #Metasurfaces #Biosensors #Norovirus #VirusDetection #Photonics #Nanotechnology #BiomedicalDiagnostics #ISASICNR #ScientificResearch
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