Recent advances in molecularly imprinted polymers toward biomedical healthcare devices

Following the increase in the global aging population, the importance of monitoring various disease-related biomarkers at an early stage has increased to ensure the health of the elderly. In an aging society, point-of-care (POC) systems are needed to care for elderly people who have physical and mental disorders. In light of the increasing prominence of POC systems, there is a growing effort to address the limitations associated with conventional receptors in wearable devices by substituting them with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). MIPs are well-known synthetic receptors engineered with specific binding cavities based on the "lock and key" principle. They could be synthesized in various configurations depending on specific types of monomers and templates. Compared to conventional receptors such as antibodies and aptamers, MIPs exhibit outstanding advantages, including good stability, cost-effectiveness, ease of synthesis, reusability, and broad applicability. These advantages have led to their extensive application in biomedical healthcare devices. This review summarizes a comparative analysis of sensors utilized for the detection of disease-specific biomarkers through diverse MIP applications and methodologies. Furthermore, we evaluated recent advancements in the miniaturization of MIPs and their integration with wearable biomedical devices for comprehensive healthcare monitoring applications. Finally, we delineated the existing limitations that need to be surmounted for the effective implementation of MIP-based biomedical devices and outlined future objectives for the enhancement of wearable and wireless biomedical healthcare monitoring devices.