Fig. 2

A Direct SERS sensing of bacteria using Ag dendrites as Raman substrates: SEM images of the Salmonella enterica (SE1045) mixed with Ag dendrites (left) and SERS spectra of different bacteria strains using Ag dendrites as substrate. B Gold nanostars as SERS substrate for direct diagnosis of enterovirus (EV) 71: schematic of EV71 SERS sensing based on anti-aggregation of gold nanostars and Raman spectra of SCARB2 modified Au nanostars added to mock-infected cell culture in the presence and absence of EV71 and the presence of DENV. C Gold nanorod as SERS substrates for studying cancer cell death mechanisms: schematic of the sensing strategy, TEM images of the modified nanorods, and SERS spectra collected of a single HSC-3 cell under NIR laser exposure for 1 and 2 min. Reprinted with permission from ref. [79] (A); [80] (B) and [87] (C)