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Biosensors
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Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition
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Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 15432

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nélia Jordão Alberto

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Guest Editor
Instituto de Telecomunicações and University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: optical fiber sensors; FBGs; fiber coatings; fiber sensors applications; sensors for adverse environments
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria de Fátima Domingues

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Guest Editor
Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Department, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Interests: optical fiber sensors; fiber Bragg gratings; Fabry-Perot interformetric sensors; eHealth applications; gait analysis; wearable sensing devices
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Prof. Dr. Nunzio Cennamo

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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa, Italy
Interests: optical sensors; biosensors and chemical sensors; optical fiber sensors and optoelectronic devices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Adriana Borriello

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Guest Editor
Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy
Interests: cell division cycle alterations; cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors; tumor suppressor genes; cancer; altered hypoxia response
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last decade has witnessed an increasing interest in the development of photonic systems for bioapplications, ranging from biological, biochemical, and environmental to biomedical and point-of-care instrumentations.

This Special Issue will focus on the current state of the art of photonic sensing systems for bioapplications, covering recent technological improvements, novel materials and bio-receptors, smart sensing bio-surfaces, emerging applications, innovative sensor configurations, and all the associated sensing instrumentations.

Both original research papers and review articles describing the current state of the art in this research field are welcome. We hope that this SI will provide you with an overview of the present state and future outlook of the aforementioned topics.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Nélia Jordão Alberto
Dr. Maria de Fátima Domingues
Prof. Dr. Nunzio Cennamo
Prof. Dr. Adriana Borriello
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

  • optical fiber biosensing
  • optical fiber immunosensors
  • new bio/chemical probes for bioapplications
  • molecular diagnosis
  • point-of-care devices
  • biomarker detection
  • wearable biomedical sensors
  • optical sensors in e-Health architectures
  • energy-efficient eHealth architecture
  • big data analysis for eHealth
  • plasmonic sensors and interrogation systems
  • advanced signal processing techniques
  • photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for bioapplications
  • imaging sensors
  • low-cost, miniaturized, selective, and multiparameter photonic devices

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3878 KB  
Article
Surface-Modified Extrinsic Semi-Distributed Interferometers for Fiber-Optic Refractive Index Detection and Biosensing
by Albina Abdossova, Toheeb Olalekan Oladejo, Sabira Seipetdenova, Marzhan Nurlankyzy, Aigerim Omirzakova, Aidana Bissen, Aliya Bekmurzayeva, Carlo Molardi, Cevat Erisken, Wilfried Blanc and Daniele Tosi
Biosensors 2026, 16(5), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050286 - 15 May 2026
Viewed by 300
Abstract
A semi-distributed interferometer is a low-reflectivity device with refractive index sensing capability, exploiting the random reflectivity of a nanoparticle-doped fiber to form a weak distributed cavity. In this work, we extend this concept to an extrinsic semi-distributed interferometer (ESDI), using an overlay made [...] Read more.
A semi-distributed interferometer is a low-reflectivity device with refractive index sensing capability, exploiting the random reflectivity of a nanoparticle-doped fiber to form a weak distributed cavity. In this work, we extend this concept to an extrinsic semi-distributed interferometer (ESDI), using an overlay made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) around the fiber tip; this structure can then be surface-modified using a thin metallic film or a nanoparticle coating. We report gold-sputtered and gold-nanoparticle-coated ESDI structures for refractive index sensing capability, with the latter achieving superior performances with an average sensitivity of 62.8 dB/RIU (refractive index units) with resolution of 3.9 × 10−5 RIU over the range of 1.34790–1.35981. We also report a possible biological application using a biofunctionalized version of this probe for the detection of VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor); the gold-sputtered probe achieves the highest sensitivity, 0.0565 dB for each 10× concentration increase, with 355 fM detection limit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3227 KB  
Article
Systematic Benchmarking of Spectral Demodulation Methods for Ball Resonator and Hybrid FPI–Ball Resonator Sensors for Multiparameter Physiological Monitoring
by Natsnet Bereket Tecle and M. Fátima Domingues
Biosensors 2026, 16(5), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16050278 - 11 May 2026
Viewed by 283
Abstract
Ball resonator optical fiber sensors (OFSs) can offer multiparameter sensing capability, but their non-periodic and low-finesse reflection spectra make conventional spectral demodulation unreliable. This work proposes two sensor configurations: (i) a ball resonator and (ii) a hybrid sensor integrating a Fabry–Pérot interferometer (FPI) [...] Read more.
Ball resonator optical fiber sensors (OFSs) can offer multiparameter sensing capability, but their non-periodic and low-finesse reflection spectra make conventional spectral demodulation unreliable. This work proposes two sensor configurations: (i) a ball resonator and (ii) a hybrid sensor integrating a Fabry–Pérot interferometer (FPI) with a ball resonator, and compares their performance for multiparameter physiological monitoring using the Karhunen–Loève transform (KLT). The sensors were evaluated for glucose concentration (0–3 mg/mL), temperature (20–55 °C), and pH (3–9) monitoring. The ball resonator sensor, paired with KLT, achieved high linearity across all measurands (R2 = 0.989, 0.919, and 0.838 in response to glucose, temperature, and pH, respectively). The hybrid sensor exhibited a higher glucose sensitivity (6.15 a.u./(mg/mL)) compared to the ball resonator (3.77 a.u./(mg/mL)), resulting in limits of detection (LODs) of 2.53 mM and 4.19 mM, respectively. In contrast, the ball resonator sensor demonstrated better sensitivity for temperature and pH sensing. Furthermore, we present a comprehensive benchmarking framework of seven spectral demodulation methods for OFSs. The results demonstrated that KLT consistently provides robust demodulation performance and highlighted the potential of KLT for multiparameter physiological sensing applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 6121 KB  
Article
Upconversion Nanoparticle-Based Luminescence DNA Sensor on Porous Silicon Substrate
by Yangzhi Zhang, Xingyu Wang, Yajun Liu, Zhenhong Jia, Ziyi Yang, Xiaohui Huang and Jiajia Wang
Biosensors 2026, 16(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios16020105 - 6 Feb 2026
Viewed by 578
Abstract
Rare-earth-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit upconversion luminescence upon excitation with infrared light and have been extensively utilized in the field of biosensing. In this study, a UCNPs-based biosensor with porous silicon (PSi) as the substrate was developed for the first time, enabling the [...] Read more.
Rare-earth-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit upconversion luminescence upon excitation with infrared light and have been extensively utilized in the field of biosensing. In this study, a UCNPs-based biosensor with porous silicon (PSi) as the substrate was developed for the first time, enabling the detection of target DNA molecule concentration. First, a PSi substrate was prepared via electrochemical etching and subsequently functionalized to enable target DNA molecules to immobilize onto the inner walls of the PSi substrate’s pores. Then, UCNPs-labeled probe DNA molecules hybridized with the target DNA molecules, enabling indirect attachment of UCNPs to the inner walls of the PSi substrate. Subsequently, the sample surface is irradiated with a 980 nm laser. Upconversion fluorescence images of the sample, both before and after the biological reaction, are captured using an image acquisition device. Image processing software is employed to calculate the average change in grayscale values, enabling the determination of the molecular concentration of target DNA. The limit of detection (LOD) of this method for target DNA molecular concentration is 86 pM, demonstrating that it enables low-cost, highly sensitive, rapid, and convenient biological detection of target DNA molecules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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14 pages, 3070 KB  
Article
Immunosensor Enhanced with Silver Nanocrystals for On-Chip Prostate-Specific Antigen Detection
by Timothy A. Okhai, Kefilwe V. Mokwebo, Marlon Oranzie, Usisipho Feleni and Lukas W. Snyman
Biosensors 2025, 15(7), 428; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15070428 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1051
Abstract
An electrochemical immunosensor for the quantification of prostate-specific antigens (PSAs) using silver nanocrystals (AgNCs) is reported. The silver nanocrystals were synthesized using a conventional citrate reduction protocol. The silver nanocrystals were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field effect scanning electron microscopy [...] Read more.
An electrochemical immunosensor for the quantification of prostate-specific antigens (PSAs) using silver nanocrystals (AgNCs) is reported. The silver nanocrystals were synthesized using a conventional citrate reduction protocol. The silver nanocrystals were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The proposed immunosensor was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), sequentially, by drop-coating AgNCs, the electro-deposition of EDC-NHS, the immobilization of anti-PSA antibody (Ab), and dropping of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to prevent non-specific binding sites. Each stage of the fabrication process was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Using square wave voltammetry (SWV), the proposed immunosensor displayed high sensitivity in detecting PSA over a concentration range of 1 to 10 ng/mL with a detection limit of 1.14 ng/mL and R2 of 0.99%. The immunosensor was selective in the presence of interfering substances like glucose, urea, L-cysteine, and alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) and it showed good stability and repeatability. These results compare favourably with some previously reported results on similar or related technologies for PSA detection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 1763 KB  
Communication
Multi-Mode Coupling Enabled Broadband Coverage for Terahertz Biosensing Applications
by Dongyu Hu, Mengya Pan, Yanpeng Shi and Yifei Zhang
Biosensors 2025, 15(6), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15060368 - 7 Jun 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1328
Abstract
Terahertz (THz) biosensing faces critical challenges in balancing high sensitivity and broadband spectral coverage, particularly under miniaturized device constraints. Conventional quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBIC) metasurfaces achieve high quality factor (Q) but suffer from narrow bandwidth, while angle-scanning strategies for broadband detection [...] Read more.
Terahertz (THz) biosensing faces critical challenges in balancing high sensitivity and broadband spectral coverage, particularly under miniaturized device constraints. Conventional quasi-bound states in the continuum (QBIC) metasurfaces achieve high quality factor (Q) but suffer from narrow bandwidth, while angle-scanning strategies for broadband detection require complex large-angle illumination. Here, we propose a symmetry-engineered, all-dielectric metasurface that leverages multipolar interference coupling to overcome this limitation. By introducing angular perturbation, the metasurface transforms the original magnetic dipole (MD)-dominated QBIC resonance into hybridized, multipolar modes. It arises from the interference coupling between MD, toroidal dipole (TD), and magnetic quadrupole (MQ). This mechanism induces dual counter-directional, frequency-shifted, resonance branches within angular variations below 16°, achieving simultaneous 0.42 THz broadband coverage and high Q of 499. Furthermore, a derived analytical model based on Maxwell equations and mode coupling theory rigorously validates the linear relationship between frequency splitting interval and incident angle with the Relative Root Mean Square Error (RRMSE) of 1.4% and the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.99. This work establishes a paradigm for miniaturized THz biosensors, advancing applications in practical molecular diagnostics and multi-analyte screening. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 2021 KB  
Article
Probing the Influence of Specular Reflection and Overexposure on Backscattering Mueller Matrix Polarimetry for Tissue Imaging and Sensing
by Wei Jiao, Nan Zeng, Rui Hao, Hui Ma, Chao He and Honghui He
Biosensors 2025, 15(5), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15050333 - 21 May 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1570
Abstract
Mueller matrix polarimetry has great potential for tissue detection and clinical diagnosis due to its ability to provide rich microstructural information accurately. However, in practical in vivo tissue imaging based on backscattering Mueller matrix polarimetry, specular reflection is often inevitable, leading to overexposed [...] Read more.
Mueller matrix polarimetry has great potential for tissue detection and clinical diagnosis due to its ability to provide rich microstructural information accurately. However, in practical in vivo tissue imaging based on backscattering Mueller matrix polarimetry, specular reflection is often inevitable, leading to overexposed regions and the following inaccurate polarization information acquisition of tissues. In this study, we probe the influence of specular reflection and overexposure on backscattering Mueller matrix polarimetry for tissue imaging and sensing. We investigate in detail the differentiation of polarization behaviors between the specular reflection and non-specular reflection tissue regions using a 3 × 3 backscattering Mueller matrix measurement. Then, we obtain the vertical projection profiles to further quantify the Mueller matrix elements of porcine liver tissue in different specular reflection regions. Finally, we calculate the polarization feature parameters derived from a 3 × 3 Mueller matrix and analyze their behavior in overexposed regions. Based on the quantitative analysis and comparisons, we obtain a group of polarization feature parameters with strong immunity to the specular reflection process. This study offers a strategy for selecting the polarization parameters during in vivo polarimetric imaging applications, provides valuable references for further eliminating the characterization errors induced by specular reflection, and may contribute to the advancement of quantitative tissue polarimetric imaging and sensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 2497 KB  
Article
White Light Spectroscopy Characteristics and Expansion Dynamic Behavior of Primary T-Cells: A Possibility of Online, Real-Time, and Sampling-Less CAR T-Cell Production Monitoring
by Bruno Wacogne, Maxime Brito, Clémentine Gamonet, Alain Rouleau and Annie Frelet-Barrand
Biosensors 2025, 15(4), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15040251 - 15 Apr 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1149
Abstract
The production of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) is a long and highly technical process, resulting in a high cost per dose, which reduces the number of eligible patients. There is a critical need for a closed and sample-free monitoring system to perform [...] Read more.
The production of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) is a long and highly technical process, resulting in a high cost per dose, which reduces the number of eligible patients. There is a critical need for a closed and sample-free monitoring system to perform the numerous quality controls required. Current monitoring methods are not optimal, mainly because they require the system to be opened up for sampling and result in material losses. White light spectroscopy has emerged as a technique for sample-free control compatible with closed systems. We have recently proposed its use to monitor cultures of CEM-C1 cell lines. In this paper, we apply this method to T-cells isolated from healthy donor blood samples. The main differences between cell lines and human primary T-cells lie in the slightly different shape of their absorption spectra and in the dynamics of cell expansion. T-cells do not multiply exponentially, resulting in a non-constant generation time. Cell expansion is described by a power-law model, which allows for the definition of instantaneous generation times. A correlation between the linear asymptotic behavior of these generation times and the initial cell concentration leads to the hypothesis that this could be an early predictive marker of the final culture concentration. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that such concepts have been proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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32 pages, 6969 KB  
Article
Colorimetric Analysis of Transmitted Light Through Plasmonic Paper for Next-Generation Point-of-Care (PoC) Devices
by Caterina Serafinelli, Alessandro Fantoni, Elisabete C. B. A. Alegria and Manuela Vieira
Biosensors 2025, 15(3), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15030144 - 24 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2018
Abstract
This study identifies the optimal conditions for enhancing the performance of the Color Picker System, a device designed for colorimetric sensing using plasmonic paper. A simulation study was conducted toanalyze the transmittance spectra of plasmonic paper embedded in different mixtures, resulting in [...] Read more.
This study identifies the optimal conditions for enhancing the performance of the Color Picker System, a device designed for colorimetric sensing using plasmonic paper. A simulation study was conducted toanalyze the transmittance spectra of plasmonic paper embedded in different mixtures, resulting in a comprehensive color chart that includes the chromatic response as well as the RGB values of transmitted light. The filtering properties of the plasmonic paper were evaluated through colorimetric analysis, combining the transmittance characteristics with the spectrum of different light sources. Optimizing the correlation between these filtering properties and the light source enhances both sensitivity and precision. Arrays of nanoparticles with high absorbance, combined with Cold LED light sources, emerge as ideal components for the device set-up. Among the light sources tested, the White LED uniquely generates a red signal while producing the most significant variations in the green channel. In contrast, the Cold LED and Xenon Arc lamp produce the strongest colorimetric signals in the blue channel. This study provides a deep understanding of the filtering properties of plasmonic paper, opening a new way for the implementation of nanoparticle arrays in colorimetric sensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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Review

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44 pages, 18112 KB  
Review
Plasmonic and Dielectric Metasurfaces for Enhanced Spectroscopic Techniques
by Borja García García, María Gabriela Fernández-Manteca, Dimitrios C. Zografopoulos, Celia Gómez-Galdós, Alain A. Ocampo-Sosa, Luis Rodríguez-Cobo, José Francisco Algorri and Adolfo Cobo
Biosensors 2025, 15(7), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios15070401 - 20 Jun 2025
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5983
Abstract
Spectroscopic techniques such as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption (SEIRA), and Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence (SEF) are essential analytical techniques used to study the composition of materials by analyzing the way materials scatter light, absorb infrared radiation or emit fluorescence signals. This provides [...] Read more.
Spectroscopic techniques such as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption (SEIRA), and Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence (SEF) are essential analytical techniques used to study the composition of materials by analyzing the way materials scatter light, absorb infrared radiation or emit fluorescence signals. This provides information about their molecular structure and properties. However, traditional SERS, SEIRA, and SEF techniques can be limited in sensitivity, resolution, and reproducibility, hindering their ability to detect and analyze trace amounts of substances or complex molecular structures. Metasurfaces, a class of engineered two-dimensional metamaterials with unique optical properties, have emerged as a promising tool to overcome these limitations and enhance spectroscopic techniques. This article provides a state-of-the-art overview of metasurfaces for enhanced SERS, SEIRA and SEF, covering their theoretical background, different types, advantages, disadvantages, and potential applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Photonics for Bioapplications: Sensors and Technology—2nd Edition)
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