Plasmonic biosensor platforms for next-generation personalized medical diagnostics

The increasing healthcare burden demands precise diagnostics for early detection and longitudinal disease monitoring. Although conventional assays such as ELISA and PCR offer precision, they require intensive sample preparation, bulkier instrumentation and prolonged assay times. This review examines plasmonic biosensors as a transformative alternative for personalized and point-of-care diagnostics. We comprehensively examine recent advancements, such as the integration of nanomaterials, microfabrication strategies, advanced surface chemistry and prototype miniaturization, and consider examples for the detection of cancer biomarkers (microRNA-21 and alpha-fetoprotein), viral proteins (respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2), and inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein). Furthermore, we address the critical aspects that hinder the clinical translation of plasmonic biosensors. The review concludes that, despite significant laboratory-scale progress, standardized manufacturing, scalable nanofabrication and the inclusion of artificial intelligence/machine learning frameworks remain essential for the widespread utilization of plasmonic technology in personalized medicine and diagnostics.