Biosensors for healthcare: current and future perspectives

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Biosensors are crucial tools across medicine, food safety, and environmental monitoring.
• Healthcare applications are rapidly evolving, necessitating advanced diagnostic and monitoring technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent developments in biosensors specifically for healthcare applications.
• To highlight key innovations in in vitro diagnostics, continuous monitoring, and wearable biosensors.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent scientific literature on biosensor technology.
• Categorization of biosensors into in vitro diagnostic, continuous monitoring, and wearable types.
• Analysis of emerging technologies like CRISPR/Cas, LFAs, and μPADs/ePADs.

Main Results:

• Significant expansion in in vitro diagnostic biosensors, incorporating CRISPR/Cas methodologies.
• Improvements in established devices such as lateral flow assays (LFAs) and microfluidic/electrochemical paper-based analytical devices (μPADs/ePADs).
• Growing attention towards continuous monitoring biosensors (CMBs) and wearable biosensors.

Conclusions:

• Biosensor technology is rapidly advancing, offering new possibilities for healthcare.
• Continuous monitoring and wearable biosensors represent promising future directions.
• Commercialization and future trends in biosensor development are discussed.