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Biosensors
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Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors
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Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors

A special issue of Biosensors (ISSN 2079-6374). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosensors and Healthcare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 7577

Special Issue Editors

Dr. José Ribeiro

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Guest Editor
CIQUP/IMS, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, S/N, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: electrochemistry; analytical chemistry; screen-printed electrodes (SPEs); electrochemical biosensors; amperometric; proteins
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Carlos Pereira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CIQUP/IMS - Chemistry Research Center, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 1021, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: supercapacitors; carbon nanomaterials; ionic liquids; energy storage; nanopesticides; environmental safety; cytotoxicity; ecotoxicity; food allergens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Manuel A. Azenha

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Molecular Sciences, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: sol-gel; molecular imprinting; selective photocatalys; artificial receptors; molecular recognition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have attracted significant attention for sensing applications due to their distinct advantages, including simplicity, cost-effectiveness, ease of preparation, long-term stability, and remarkable selectivity and sensitivity. Over the past decade, molecular imprinting (MI) technology has experienced substantial advancements, largely driven by breakthroughs in nanotechnology. These advancements have enabled the production of nanosized MIP materials, such as MIP nanoparticles and thin films, with enhanced target affinity and faster binding kinetics.

These biomimetic materials are typically obtained in high yields through established techniques, including radical polymerization, sol–gel synthesis, the surface imprinting of core–shell and metal nanoparticles, and greener approaches like electrochemical polymerization.

The synergistic integration of MI technology with sensor development is well established, particularly in electrochemical and optical sensing platforms. MIPs serving as synthetic receptors have been widely employed for detecting a broad spectrum of analytes, ranging from small molecules (e.g., drugs, pesticides, hormones) and peptides to large biomolecules like proteins, pathogens, and even whole cells.

The practical applications of MIP-based high-performance electrochemical (bio)sensors span diverse fields, including environmental monitoring, food quality and safety control, drug analysis, precision agriculture, biomedical applications, and advanced healthcare, using wearable, portable, or implantable systems.

Despite these achievements, several challenges remain unresolved. Notably, there is a need to improve the performance of MIP-based sensors in complex biological or environmental matrices and to develop robust systems capable of multi-analyte detection within a single sample. Addressing these issues will further expand the potential of MIP-based sensors in real-world applications.

Dr. José Ribeiro
Dr. Carlos Pereira
Dr. Manuel A. Azenha
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.

Keywords

  • molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs)
  • imprinted materials
  • molecular recognition
  • biomimetic devices
  • electrochemical sensing
  • optical sensing
  • food quality and safety
  • environmental monitoring
  • disease biomarkers
  • biomedical applications
  • health monitoring

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 4165 KB  
Article
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers as Biomimetic Test Zones in Paper-Based Nucleic Acid Assays—Comparing Vertical and Lateral Flow Formats
by Jennifer Marfà, Anaixis del Valle, Maria Del Pilar Taboada Sotomayor and María Isabel Pividori
Biosensors 2026, 16(3), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16030175 - 21 Mar 2026
Viewed by 564
Abstract
The development of rapid and sensitive point-of-care nucleic acid tests benefits from robust synthetic recognition elements. Here, a biotin-specific molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized using an optimized protocol and integrated as a biomimetic test zone into two paper-based formats: nucleic acid vertical [...] Read more.
The development of rapid and sensitive point-of-care nucleic acid tests benefits from robust synthetic recognition elements. Here, a biotin-specific molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized using an optimized protocol and integrated as a biomimetic test zone into two paper-based formats: nucleic acid vertical flow (NAVF) and nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF). Both platforms were evaluated for the detection of double-tagged PCR amplicons from Escherichia coli. NAVF enabled a 3 min visual readout with an LOD of 1.00 × 10−2 ng mL−1. NALF provided a total assay time of <15 min and achieved a visual LOD of 3.17 × 10−2 ng mL−1. Overall, the results demonstrate the versatility of biotin-MIPs as stable synthetic receptors for rapid, low-cost paper-based nucleic acid assays, with NAVF prioritizing speed and design flexibility and NALF prioritizing higher analytical sensitivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors)
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24 pages, 10991 KB  
Article
Surface-Imprinted Polymer Coupled with Diffraction Gratings for Low-Cost, Label-Free and Differential E. coli Detection
by Dua Özsoylu, Elke Börmann-El-Kholy, Rabia N. Kaya, Patrick Wagner and Michael J. Schöning
Biosensors 2026, 16(1), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16010060 - 13 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 948
Abstract
Surface-imprinted polymer (SIP)-based biomimetic sensors are promising for direct whole-bacteria detection; however, the commonly used fabrication approach (micro-contact imprinting) often suffers from limited imprint density, heterogeneous template distribution, and poor reproducibility. Here, we introduce a photolithography-defined master stamp featuring E. coli mimics, enabling [...] Read more.
Surface-imprinted polymer (SIP)-based biomimetic sensors are promising for direct whole-bacteria detection; however, the commonly used fabrication approach (micro-contact imprinting) often suffers from limited imprint density, heterogeneous template distribution, and poor reproducibility. Here, we introduce a photolithography-defined master stamp featuring E. coli mimics, enabling high-density, well-oriented cavity arrays (3 × 107 imprints/cm2). Crucially, the cavity arrangement is engineered such that the SIP layer functions simultaneously as the bioreceptor and as a diffraction grating, enabling label-free optical quantification by reflectance changes without additional transduction layers. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations are used to model and visualize the optical response upon bacterial binding. Proof-of-concept experiments using a differential two-well configuration confirm concentration-dependent detection of E. coli in PBS, demonstrating a sensitive, low-cost, and scalable sensing concept that can be readily extended to other bacterial targets by redesigning the photolithographic master. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors)
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13 pages, 2433 KB  
Article
Development of an Electrochemical Sensor Based on Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Using Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles for Caffeine Quantification
by Sergio Espinoza-Torres, Astrid Choquehuanca-Azaña, Marcos Rufino, Eleilton da Silva and Lucio Angnes
Biosensors 2025, 15(10), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15100704 - 18 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1527
Abstract
Caffeine is a natural alkaloid consumed primarily for its stimulant and metabolic effects. Some everyday products, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, sports supplements, and even pain relievers, contain caffeine. However, excessive caffeine consumption, greater than 400 mg per day, can cause adverse [...] Read more.
Caffeine is a natural alkaloid consumed primarily for its stimulant and metabolic effects. Some everyday products, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, sports supplements, and even pain relievers, contain caffeine. However, excessive caffeine consumption, greater than 400 mg per day, can cause adverse effects. Therefore, this work presents an electrochemical sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electropolymerized on gold nanoparticles functionalized with p-aminothiophenol (AuNPs-pATP) for caffeine quantification. AuNPs-pATP synthesized show a spherical morphology with an average diameter of 2.54 nm. Stages of MIP formation were monitored by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using a potassium ferrocyanide redox probe, where the following were observed: (i) an increase in conductivity upon modification of the GCE with AuNPs-pATP, (ii) the blocking of active sites during the electropolymerization step, and (iii) the release of specific cavities upon template removal, revealing consistent differences between the MIP and the control polymer (NIP). SEM images revealed three-dimensional spherical cavities on MIP surface, while the NIP showed a more compact rough surface. Caffeine quantification was performed using square wave voltammetry (SWV) with LOD of 0.195 µmol L−1 and LOQ of 0.592 µmol L−1. Interference studies indicated high selectivity and a high density of caffeine-specific binding sites in the MIP. Additionally, MIP sensor demonstrated reusability, good reproducibility, and stability, as well as promising results for analysis in soft drink and sports supplement samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors)
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Review

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40 pages, 8156 KB  
Review
Advances in the Direct Nanoscale Integration of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) with Transducers for the Development of High-Performance Nanosensors
by Ibrar Muhammad Asif, Tiziano Di Giulio, Francesco Gagliani, Cosimino Malitesta and Elisabetta Mazzotta
Biosensors 2025, 15(8), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15080509 - 6 Aug 2025
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3730
Abstract
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as robust, cost-effective analogues of bioreceptors, offering high selectivity and stability. When applied in sensors, one key step is the integration of MIPs with the transducer, which critically affects sensor performance. Demanding challenges come when such integration [...] Read more.
Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as robust, cost-effective analogues of bioreceptors, offering high selectivity and stability. When applied in sensors, one key step is the integration of MIPs with the transducer, which critically affects sensor performance. Demanding challenges come when such integration involves nanoscaling processes, meaning that the transducer is nanostructured or the MIP itself is nanosized on a bulk transducer. In both cases, the integration results in the development of nanosensors, with advantages arising from the nanoscale, such as a high MIP surface-to-volume ratio, with surface-located, easily accessible binding sites, fast binding kinetics, and, thus, a rapid sensor response. Major advantages come also from nanostructured transducers, with nanoscale geometry enabling highly sensitive signal generation processes, not allowed on their bulk counterparts. In this review, we discuss advances in imprinting technologies, focusing on techniques that, enabling the nanoscale control of MIP synthesis, are conveniently applied to directly integrate MIPs with nanosensors in a one-step process. Two main approaches are reviewed, consisting in MIP nanostructuring on bulk transducers and in the direct growth of MIPs on nanotransducers, highlighting how different strategies achieve good conformity at the nanoscale and address spatial complexity to ensure stable and accurate signal acquisition. Finally, we consider future directions in MIP-based nanosensor development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Molecularly Imprinted-Polymer-Based Biosensors)
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