Abstract
The remarkable physicochemical properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have prompted development in exploring biomolecular interactions with AuNPs-containing systems, pursuing biomedical applications in diagnostics. Among these applications, AuNPs have been remarkably useful for the development of DNA/RNA detection and characterization systems for diagnostics, including systems suitable for point of need. Here, emphasis will be on available molecular detection schemes of relevant pathogens and their molecular characterization, genomic sequences associated with medical conditions (including cancer), mutation and polymorphism identification, and the quantification of gene expression.