Reaction particles with target-specific luminescent detection

A composition comprising a population of assay particles;

• wherein the assay particles are porous, comprise a matrix material, and comprise an interstitial void volume suitable to receive a sample;
• wherein each assay particle comprises a target-specific luminescent detection agent tethered to the matrix material;
• wherein the target-specific luminescent detection agent of each assay particle comprises:
• (i) a target-specific interaction moiety, and (ii) a luminescent reporter capable of producing a luminescent signal individually or in combination with other reagents;
• wherein interaction of the target-specific interaction moiety with the target analyte results in a change in the luminescent signal;
• wherein the population of assay particles comprises distinct subsets of assay particles;
• wherein the assay particles of each subset comprise a target-specific interaction moiety that is subset specific;
• wherein each subset comprises a different target-specific interaction moiety;
• and wherein all of the assay particles of the population comprise the same luminescent reporter capable of producing the same luminescent signal;
• and
• wherein the assay particles of each subset comprise a subset-specific physical characteristic that is the same for the assay particles within each subset and distinct from the assay particles of other subsets;
• wherein the subset-specific physical characteristic is independent of the luminescent signal of the luminescent reporter.

A method of conducting a multiplex assay, the method comprising:

• (a) contacting a sample with the composition of claim 1, and allowing the interstitial void volumes of the assay particles to receive the sample;
• (b) allowing the target-specific interaction moiety each of the assay particles to interact with a target analyte, if present, in the sample;
• (c) detecting the luminescent signal from the luminescent reporter in each of the assay particles;
• and
• (d) detecting the subset-specific physical characteristic of each of the assay particles.