Detection of the energy of photons from biological assays

Abstract

A cryogenic detector is used for detection in a biological assay.

1 . A method of detecting photons in a biological assay comprising
 (a) transmitting photons to a cryogenic detector using an optical fibre, said cryogenic detector comprising said optical fibre and a photon capture element operating close to or below that temperature at which said photon capture element exhibits superconducting properties, and   (b) detecting said photons with said cryogenic detector   
     wherein the detector detects light absorbance. 
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pattern of absorption of photons is modified by use of a label. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photons are detected across a spectrum. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein absorbance is detected from in a range of wavelengths covering ultraviolet light to infra-red light. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the label is a DNA probe and the biological assay further comprises an immobilized nucleic acid. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the immobilized nucleic acid hybridises with the DNA probe. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detector has a single detector element. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detector has two or more detector elements. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biological assay incorporates two or more labels. 
   
   
       10 . A method of bioimaging forming a bioimage comprising:
 (a) transmitting photons to a cryogenic detector using an optical fibre, said cryogenic detector comprising said optical fibre and a photon capture element operating close to or below that temperature at which said photon capture element exhibits superconducting properties, and   (b) detecting said photons with the cryogenic detector and generating photon data and forming a bioimage,   
     wherein the detector detects light absorbance. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said photon data is evaluated. 
   
   
       12 . A method of quantitative multicolour bioimaging 
     comprising:
 (a) transmitting photons to a cryogenic detector using an optical fibre, said cryogenic detector comprising said optical fibre and a photon capture element operating close to or below a temperature at which said photon capture element exhibits superconducting properties, and 
 (b) detecting said photons with the cryogenic detector, and 
 (c) generating photon data and forming a bioimage which is quantitated, 
 
     wherein the detector detects light absorbance. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the detector generates absorbance data which is acquired and evaluated.