The disclosure provides a method for detecting a target analyte in a biological sample including contacting the sample with one or more probe sets each comprising a primary probe and a linker, contacting the sample with an initiator sequence, contacting the sample with a plurality of fluorescent DNA hairpins, wherein the probe binds the target molecule, the linker connects the probe to the initiator sequence, and wherein the initiator sequence nucleates with the cognate hairpin and triggers self-assembly of tethered fluorescent amplification polymers, and detecting the target molecule by measuring fluorescent signal of the sample.