Analyte detection and methods therefor

A method for quantitative detection of one or more target analytes in a biological sample by controlling a dynamic range of assay signals in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the method comprising:

• providing one or more target analytes in a sample, the one or more target analytes selected from the group consisting of one or more of an antigen, an antibody, a nucleic acid, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a peptide, a protein, a polymer, and any combination thereof;
• contacting the one or more target analytes with a mixture of first binding reagents that undergo binding interaction with the one or more target analytes to form conjugated analytes, and second binding reagents that do not undergo binding interaction with the one or more target analytes thereby forming unconjugated analytes, wherein the conjugated first binding reagents and the second binding reagents each having predetermined concentrations are specific to the one or more target analytes;
• measuring the binding interaction between the one or more target analytes and conjugated first binding reagents and the one or more target analytes and unconjugated second binding reagents in the mixture;
• adjusting a ratio of the conjugated first binding reagents and the unconjugated second binding reagents in the mixture to control a dynamic range of measurable assay signals selected from the group consisting of color change, fluorescent signals, and chemiluminescent signals, the ratio selected from the group consisting of a molar ratio, a weight ratio and a volumetric ratio, and any combinations thereof;
• and
• quantitatively determining the one or more target analytes in the sample based on both a) results of the measuring step of the binding interaction, and b) based on the controlling of the dynamic range of the assay signals,
• wherein adjusting the ratio of the conjugated first binding reagents and the unconjugated second binding reagents in the mixture is executed by a computing device.