Patent ID: 7501236

Claim:
A liquid state in vitro assay method to detect a physical or chemical change involving a chemical or biological species which comprises the steps of: a) performing an assay on a biological species using an assay reagent containing at least one NMR active nucleus, said assay reagent being one of i) introduced as an initial reagent, ii) formed in situ during the assay, and iii) formed as a product of the assay, and b) hyperpolarising at least one NMR active nucleus of the assay reagent by dynamic nuclear polarization comprising mixing the assay reagent with a paramagnetic species (DNP agent) and/or a free radical generator or other particles having associated free electrons; wherein the degree of hyperpolarisation of the NMR active nucleus is in excess of 0.1%, and wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed simultaneously or sequentially in either order, and c) analysing the NMR active nucleus of the assay reagent and/or the assay by NMR for a physical or chemical change in said biological species that is independent of the interaction of the biological species with the NMR active nucleus; and d) optionally using the NMR data obtained in step c) to generate further assay result(s) wherein the NMR active nucleus comprises one of 15 N, 19 F, 31 P, 1 H, 29 Si and 13 C.