Patent ID: 8209128

Claim:
A method for analyzing a bioparticle, or plurality of bioparticles, in a micro/nano-optical resonator comprising the steps of: a. establishing optical resonance in the optical resonator; b. measuring optical resonance of the resonator in the absence of a bioparticle; c. measuring optical resonance in the presence of a bioparticle; d. using the changes in optical resonance to determine optical properties of a bioparticle; and e. relating the optical properties to biomolecular composition of the bioparticle, whereby information about the bioparticle is obtained and is transformed to an output display using the benefits of light as non-contacting, fast, and noninvasive and without use of molecular tags, and whereby statistical information about a population of bioparticles is quickly obtained to assess their material condition, and whereby information about the state of health or disease, or normalcy or abnormalcy, of the bioparticle is obtained, and whereby changes in biomolecular composition occurring in normal, stressed or diseased cells is assessed by measuring the distribution of optical properties in a population of bioparticles.