Polymer- and colloid-mediated bioassays, sensors and diagnostics

Synthetic polymers and colloids are increasingly being exploited in bioassays to help measure gene expression, sequence genomes, monitor metabolic disorders and detect the presence of disease. This can be attributed to their potential to reduce reaction scales, improve throughput, lower costs and improve the sensitivity, selectivity, stability and reproducibility of assays. This review highlights the newest application areas, including some of the strategies employed, as well as major technical challenges and future opportunities. The move away from conventional assay approaches is being driven by a desire to improve our basic understanding of human biology, to diagnose diseases earlier, and to manage healthcare resources more efficiently. These endeavors are important owing to a rising world population and an increasing average life span.