Fluorescent oligo and poly-thiophenes and their utilization for recording biological events of diverse origin—when organic chemistry meets biology

The technique of using luminescent oligo-thiophenes and luminescent conjugated poly-thiophenes to monitor biological processes has gained increased interest from scientists within different research areas, ranging from organic chemistry and photo-physics to biology since its introduction. The technique is generally straightforward and requires only standard equipment, and the result is available within minutes from sample preparation. In this review, the syntheses of oligo and polythiophenes developed over the last decades are discussed. Furthermore, the utilization of these molecular agents for exploring biological events, e.g., DNA hybridization or protein misfolding events, are covered