Optical Microneedles for Biosensing
A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosensors".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: optofluidic biosensors; nano-engineered pressure sensors; optical dissolved-oxygen sensor; anti-counterfeiting labels; plasmonic nano-pixels; nanophotonic fluorescence enhancement; organic lasers; upconversion nanoparticles; plasmonic nanostructures
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues，
In the last decade, microneedle (MN)-based optical sensors have gained widespread recognition due to their successful applications in transdermal sensing from subcutaneous ions and glucose to oxygen and pH detection. MNs are a modern form of transdermal sensing system composed of micro-sized needles on a small patch. Historically, they were used for non-invasive drug delivery. MNs offer painless and localized sensing with reduced side effects, improved bioavailability and enhanced patient compliance compared to conventional methods. Optical MNs enable non-invasive access to interstitial fluid (ISF), which is key in analyzing a patient’s physiological condition. ISF, a body fluid similar to blood plasma, provides almost non-invasive access in the skin—unlike the invasive access of blood—surrounding the cells to supply nutrients and biomarkers.
Thus, optical MNs have emerged as a transformative platform in biosensing, offering unique advantages for real-time, minimally invasive monitoring of physiological parameters. By integrating optical sensing modalities such as fluorescence, Raman and phosphorescence, MNs enable highly sensitive and specific detection of a wide range of biomarkers directly within the skin. Their microscale design allows them to penetrate only the superficial layers of the skin without reaching pain receptors, providing a painless and patient-friendly alternative to conventional blood-based assays.
Dr. Esmaeil Heydari
Prof. Dr. Hossein Zare-Behtash
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- microneedle-based biosensors
- optical dissolved oxygen biosensors
- optical glucose sensors
- optical oxygen sensors
- optical partial pressure sensors
- transcutaneous biosensors
- wearable optical biosensors
- microneedle fabrication
- time-resolved spectroscopy
- phosphorescence lifetime spectroscopy
- photoluminescence spectroscopy
- biomedical optical biosensors
- microneedle pH sensors
- microneedle ion sensors
- point-of-care diagnostic
- transdermal biosensing
- optical lactate detection
- optical enzymatic biosensor
- interstitial fluid sensing
- microneedle health monitoring
- microneedle patch
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