Highlighting analytical science in China

Issue 9, 2008 of The Analyst is a themed issue which highlights some of the latest exciting new analytical science in China.

Mengsu Yang, member of The Analyst Editorial Board, is Guest Editor of this themed issue. The aim is to highlight top-class analytical science research currently being carried out in China, to encourage more scientific exchange and collaboration between the Chinese analytical research community and those in other regions.

Two areas of analytical science which have enjoyed a large amount of support in China recently are nanodetection and biodetection, and this emphasis is clearly reflected in the contributions to this issue.

The issue includes Hot papers from Zhengping Li and colleagues on chemiluminescent detection of DNA hybridization and single-nucleotide polymorphisms on a solid surface using target-primed rolling circle amplification. Lanqun Mao and co-workers report on aptamer-based electrochemical sensors that are not based on the target binding-induced conformational change of aptamers, and Erkang Wang and colleagues propose nanoscale-enhanced Ru(bpy)32+ electrochemiluminescence labels and a related aptamer-based biosensing system.