Advances in Molecular Biosensors

Dear Colleagues,

Molecular biosensors are devices that work at a molecular level to detect the binding events between ligands and targets relying on their high specificity and affinity. Molecular biosensors have been featured in sensing technology to detect a wide variety of biomolecules and substances, including proteins, nucleic acids, hormones, etc., to diagnose early-stage diseases, detect pathogens, perform liquid biopsies, study intermolecular interactions, analyze foods, monitor health and the metabolism, determine pollutants and contaminants, etc. They are anticipated to continue thriving and functioning in various applications of translational medicine and biomedical domains.

This Special Issue welcomes high-quality publications, including reviews, perspectives, communications, and research articles related to recent advances in molecular biosensors, especially studies aiming to optimize molecular biosensors for biochemical and biomedical applications and to discover and invent novel functions of molecular biosensors. The potential themes cover, but are not restricted to, the following:

• Types of biosensors: electrochemical, optical (surface plasmon resonance and fluorescence), electrical, enzymatic, and nanobiosensors;
• Materials for transducers: gold (Au), zinc oxide (ZnO), silicon (SiO₂), carbon-based materials (graphene and carbon nanotubes), and organic materials;
• Bioligands: proteins (antibodies and their fragments and domains, enzymes, and peptides), nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, oligonucleotides, aptamers, phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer, and peptide nucleic acids), enzymes, biomimetic receptors, and polymers;
• Targets: biomarkers (antibodies, antigens, microRNAs, viruses, bacteria, etc.), nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals), metal ions, pathogens (airborne and foodborne), pesticides and herbicides, and microbes;
• Applications: early-stage diagnosis of chronic diseases, detecting infectious diseases and pandemics, bioremediation, monitoring health and the metabolism, determining pollutants and contaminants, studying probe–target interactions, and biologics manufacturing (biomanufacturing);
• Design: transducer fabrication techniques, linkers for surface modification, antifouling functions, immobilizing bio-probes, sensing mechanisms, and signal amplification;
• Improving sensitivity and detection limit.

Prof. Dr. Wen-Yih Chen
Dr. Cao-An Vu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.