Raman spectroscopy to study biomolecules, their structure, and dynamics

The invention of laser as a light source, in addition to other technologies, is igniting a broad application of Raman spectroscopy to biological and medical studies. Raman has been applied for microbial identification, plant classification, breeding, disease diagnosis, etc. This chapter reviews Raman's applications in multiple biological fields, including microorganisms, plants, and animals. We discuss frequencies and assignments of typical Raman peaks in spectra of various components. In addition, the applications of mainstream Raman techniques in analyzing biomolecular structures and dynamics have been addressed. This chapter hence provides a summary of defining the characteristics of biological samples from micro to macroscale by using Raman technologies.