Patent ID: 7776547

Claim:
A method for identifying a cell, a group of cells, or a component of a cell, in a sample, comprising: contacting one or more samples immobilized on a solid substrate with at least two types of composite organic-inorganic nanoparticle (COIN) labeled probes such that the at least two types of the COIN labeled probes are different and emit a distinguishable surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) signature, under conditions suitable to at least allow specific binding of the probes to a known cell component of the sample to form Raman-active complexes, wherein a first type of the COIN labeled probe includes a different metal than that in a second type of the COIN labeled probe of said at least two types of the COIN labeled probes; forming a COIN-containing complex comprising said one or more samples and said at least two types of COIN labeled probes; illuminating the sample with a light source; detecting SERS signatures of the least two types of COIN labeled probes, wherein a SERS signature is indicative of the presence of a cell or a component of a cell in the sample, wherein the SERS spectra of the COIN labeled probes are collected across the sample and SERS images based on the COIN signals at specific locations of the cell sample are constructed for identification of a cell, a group of cells or a component of a cell in the sample.