Metal-antibody tagging and plasma-based detection

An apparatus for characterizing a biological target in a sample, the apparatus comprising:

• a first subsystem configured to apply, to the sample, a biomolecular recognition construct comprising a metal and a molecular recognition scaffold, wherein the molecular recognition scaffold is configured to bind to the target;
• a second subsystem configured to generate a plasma using at least some of the sample;
• and
• a third subsystem configured to detect electromagnetic radiation emitted by the plasma to provide an atomic-spectra signal of the sample.

A method, comprising:

• applying, to a sample, a biomolecular recognition construct comprising a metal and a molecular recognition scaffold, wherein the molecular recognition scaffold is configured to bind to a target;
• generating a plasma using at least some of the sample;
• detecting electromagnetic radiation emitted by the plasma to provide an atomic-spectra signal of the sample;
• determining presence of the metal in the sample based at least in part on the atomic-spectra signal;
• and
• determining presence of the target in the sample based at least in part on the presence of the metal in the sample.