In the current study, the investigators assembled the nanoparticles using an ultrasensitive localized surface plasmon resonance-based microRNA sensor with single nucleotide specificity using gold nanoprisms attached to a solid substrate. The researchers used their new sensors to detect microRNA-10b from in vitro pancreatic cell lines, tissue culture media, and human plasma at attomolar (10-18 M) concentrations. They found that microRNA10b levels were significantly higher in patients with pancreatic cancer than patients with chronic pancreatitis or normal controls.