Patent ID: 8652778

Claim:
A method for amplifying a molecular recognition interaction between a target and a probe comprising the steps of: a) contacting the target with the probe under conditions effective to form a target-probe complex; b) removing target not complexed with the probe; c) contacting the target-probe complex with a photoinitiator label under conditions effective to attach the photoinitiator label to the target-probe complex wherein the photoinitiator label comprises a photoreducible dye photoinitiator; d) prior to step e), removing photoinitiator label not attached to the target-probe complex; e) contacting the photoinitiator-labeled target-probe complex with a polymer precursor solution comprising a polymer precursor, an amine co-initiator, and a plurality of detectable nanoparticles having a size from 5 to 100 nm and encapsulating a fluorescent dye, the detectable nanoparticles not being surface-treated by coupling to the polymer precursor; f) exposing the photoinitiator-labeled target-probe complex and the polymer precursor solution to visible light, thereby forming a polymer gel incorporating detectable nanoparticles; and g) detecting the formation of the polymer gel incorporating detectable nanoparticles, thereby detecting an amplified target-probe interaction wherein the oxygen content of the polymer precursor solution is limited by contacting the polymer precursor solution with a purge gas prior to step e), during step e), during step f), or combinations thereof and the polymer gel has a network structure, the network structure encapsulating the detectable nanoparticles.