Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a powerful analytical technique for chemical and biological sensing, offering molecular specificity, ultrahigh sensitivity, and compatibility with miniaturized devices. Despite significant advances, the broader adoption of SERS in practical diagnostics remains limited by challenges in substrate reproducibility, device integration, and standardized experimental workflows.

This Topical Collection aims to provide the research community with clear, reproducible, and visually demonstrated methodologies spanning the full SERS pipeline, from nanostructured substrate fabrication and characterization to device-level integration and finally to SERS-based diagnostic assays. By focusing on experimentally validated protocols, this collection will highlight best practices for producing reliable SERS substrates, coupling them with microfluidic or automated platforms, and implementing SERS for chemical, biological, and clinical detection.

By leveraging JoVE’s video format, the collection will help bridge the gap between proof-of-concept studies and deployable SERS technologies. The goal is to accelerate knowledge transfer, improve reproducibility, and support researchers seeking to translate SERS from the laboratory into robust sensing and diagnostic systems.