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Nanomaterial-Based Devices and Biosensors for Diagnostic Applications

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 2546

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Auckland 1025, New Zealand
Interests: materials engineering; biosensors; biomaterials; thin film deposition; SEM analysis; thin film fabrication; materials processing; material characteristics; surface characterization;

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing popularity of health monitoring is driven by an increasingly health-conscious society. An ideal sensor is characterized by a superior detection range, high sensitivity, selectivity, resolution, reproducibility, repeatability, and a quick response time. Recently, biosensors incorporating nanomaterials have become highly popular due to their exceptional applications across various scientific and technological fields. Nanomaterials bridge the nanoscale gap between the converter and bioreceptor in biosensors. These features have led to the development of highly sensitive biosensors with excellent decomposition capabilities.

For instance, nanomaterial biowaste is both abundant and possesses interesting physical and chemical properties. More importantly, they are biocompatible and biodegradable, making them ideal for applications in biosensing, wastewater treatment, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and flexible electronics. Material engineering allows the chemical modification of these nanomaterials to enhance the properties needed for smart electronic biosensing and diagnosis applications.

The anticipated outcomes of this special issue could help shape the health industry and improve patient well-being. We will seek to create opportunities where traditional knowledge and modern science converge to drive innovations in biosensing.

Dr. Roshan Khadka
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • health monitoring
  • self-powered electronics
  • environmentally friendly
  • nanomaterials
  • biowaste
  • sustainable technology
  • smart biosensors
  • diagnostic applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3040 KiB  
Article
Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Magnetite Nanoparticles as Glutamate-Responsive Magnetic Resonance Sensors
by Hannah Mettee, Aaron Asparin, Zulaikha Ali, Shi He, Xianzhi Li, Joshua Hall, Alexis Kim, Shuo Wu, Morgan J. Hawker, Masaki Uchida and He Wei
Sensors 2025, 25(14), 4326; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25144326 - 10 Jul 2025
Abstract
Glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, plays a pivotal role in synaptic signaling, learning, and memory. Abnormal glutamate levels are implicated in various neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and ischemic stroke. Despite the utility of magnetic resonance imaging [...] Read more.
Glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, plays a pivotal role in synaptic signaling, learning, and memory. Abnormal glutamate levels are implicated in various neurological disorders, including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and ischemic stroke. Despite the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in diagnosing such conditions, the development of effective glutamate-sensitive contrast agents remains a challenge. In this study, we present ultrasmall, citric acid-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (CA-SPIONs) as highly selective and sensitive MRS probes for glutamate detection. These 5 nm magnetite CA-SPIONs exhibit a stable dispersion in physiological buffers and undergo aggregation in the presence of glutamate, significantly enhancing the T2 MRS contrast power. At physiological glutamate levels, the CA-SPIONs yielded a pronounced signal change ratio of nearly 60%, while showing a negligible response to other neurotransmitters such as GABA and dopamine. Computational simulations confirmed the mechanism of glutamate-mediated aggregation and its impact on transversal relaxation rates and relaxivities. The sensitivity and selectivity of CA-SPIONs underscore their potential as eco-friendly, iron-based alternatives for future neurological sensing applications targeting glutamatergic dysfunction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterial-Based Devices and Biosensors for Diagnostic Applications)
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11 pages, 4645 KiB  
Article
A Signal-On Microelectrode Electrochemical Aptamer Sensor Based on AuNPs–MXene for Alpha-Fetoprotein Determination
by Xiaoyu Su, Junbiao Chen, Shanshan Wu, Yong Qiu and Yuxiang Pan
Sensors 2024, 24(24), 7878; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24247878 - 10 Dec 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1481
Abstract
As a crucial biomarker for the early warning and prognosis of liver cancer diseases, elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and germ cell tumors. Herein, we present a novel signal-on electrochemical aptamer sensor, utilizing AuNPs–MXene composite materials, for sensitive [...] Read more.
As a crucial biomarker for the early warning and prognosis of liver cancer diseases, elevated levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) are associated with hepatocellular carcinoma and germ cell tumors. Herein, we present a novel signal-on electrochemical aptamer sensor, utilizing AuNPs–MXene composite materials, for sensitive AFP quantitation. The AuNPs–MXene composite was synthesized through a simple one-step method and modified on portable microelectrodes. As signal molecules, AFP aptamers were conjugated with methylene blue (MB) and immobilized on the electrode surface. When interacting with AFP, conformational changes in the aptamer–target complex caused MB to approach the electrode, and the electrochemical signal was enhanced through signal-on mechanisms. The developed sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for AFP, with a log-linear relationship defined as 1–300 ng/mL, and the LOD was 0.05 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The method was applied to laboratorial and real clinical samples and presented satisfactory selectivity, reproducibility, and long-term stability. The proposed high-performance sensor highlights the potential of electrochemical aptamer sensors in improving the warning capabilities in disease management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterial-Based Devices and Biosensors for Diagnostic Applications)
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