Luminescent semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are one of the more popular nanomaterials currently utilized within biological applications. However, what is not widely appreciated is their growing role as versatile energy transfer (ET) donors and acceptors within a similar biological context. The progress made on integrating QDs and ET in biological configurations and applications is reviewed in detail here. The goal is to provide the reader with (1) an appreciation for what QDs are capable of in this context, (2) how this field has grown over a relatively short time span, and, in particular, (3) how QDs are steadily revolutionizing the development of new biosensors along with a myriad of other photonically active nanomaterial-based bioconjugates. An initial discussion of QD materials along with key concepts surrounding their preparation and bioconjugation is provided given the defining role these aspects play in the QDs ability to succeed in subsequent ET applications. The discussion is then divided around the specific roles that QDs provide as either Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or charge/electron transfer donor and/or acceptor. For each QD-ET mechanism, a working explanation of the appropriate background theory and formalism is articulated before examining their biosensing and related ET utility. Other configurations such as incorporation of QDs into multistep ET processes or use of initial chemical and bioluminescent excitation are treated similarly. ET processes that are still not fully understood such as QD interactions with gold and other metal nanoparticles along with carbon allotropes are also covered. Given their maturity, some specific applications ranging from in vitro sensing assays to cellular imaging are separated and discussed in more detail. Finally a perspective on how this field will continue to evolve is provided.

Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs) are a recentlydeveloped class of nanomaterial whose unique photophysical properties are helping tocreate a new generation of robust fluorescent biosensors. QD properties of interest forbiosensing include high quantum yields, broad absorption spectra coupled to narrow sizetunablephotoluminescent emissions and exceptional resistance to both photobleaching andchemical degradation. In this review, we examine the progress in adapting QDs for severalpredominantly in vitro biosensing applications including use in immunoassays, asgeneralized probes, in nucleic acid detection and fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET) - based sensing. We also describe several important considerations when workingwith QDs mainly centered on the choice of material(s) and appropriate strategies forattaching biomolecules to the QDs.