From detecting biomarkers in body fluids to enabling real-time health tracking, nanomaterial-based biosensors have the potential to transform patient care for the better. However, despite their potential, there are major material challenges that stand in the way of their widespread adoption across medicine.
The key materials used, such as gold and carbon-based nanomaterials like graphite and graphene derivatives, each have their own limitations like fabrication complexity and supply chain constraints. Fortunately, there are emerging nanomaterials that combine unprecedented sensitivity with cost-effective and scalable fabrication. Let’s take a closer look at how these nanomaterials could revolutionise the future of medicine.
Nanomaterial-based biosensors have the potential to revolutionise medical diagnostics and patient monitoring. They have the ability to provide an early diagnosis of diseases and can also facilitate real-time monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure, providing critical data for medical decision-making. But despite these promising features, their application in medicine has been fairly limited by fundamental issues related to the nanomaterials used in their design. Graphene derivatives are difficult to fabricate with high batch-to-batch variability that inhibits performance, whilst gold nanoparticles face availability and cost fluctuations that make scalability difficult. Additionally, biofouling from proteins and other biological debris reduces sensor sensitivity with these materials, adding to the factors that limit widespread adoption.
Emerging nanomaterials, like Gii, are playing a critical role in the advancement of biosensor technology due to their unique physical, chemical and biological characteristics. This is particularly the case for electrochemical biosensors which use an electrochemical transducer to detect specific changes in material characteristics like current and voltage. Through features like high surface area, simple and cost-effective fabrication and antifouling properties, these new nanomaterials are paving the way for widespread use in medicine. Let’s look at these features in detail.
With the help of these emerging nanomaterials, electrochemical biosensors can move beyond medical diagnostics and have the potential to transform multiple facets of healthcare. With their versatility and exceptional sensitivity combined with scalable and cost effective fabrication, there is potential for great innovations in therapeutic monitoring, remote care and regenerative medicine.
In therapeutic settings, implantable biosensors equipped with nanomaterials provide invaluable feedback on drug efficacy and metabolic responses. Moreover, the fabrication simplicity and amenability to miniaturisation of electrochemical biosensors can bring a range of benefits to this area of medicine. For chronic conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, these sensors can enable precise monitoring and adjustments to treatment regimens. By ensuring optimal therapeutic outcomes and minimising adverse effects, they directly can then enhance patient care.
The integration of nanomaterial-based biosensors with telemedicine platforms can greatly benefit remote patient monitoring. Patients in remote regions can receive continuous healthcare supervision, with data transmitted directly to medical professionals. This reduces the need for in-person visits while ensuring timely medical intervention.
Nanomaterial-based biosensors are also supporting the advancement of regenerative medicine with products such as stem-cell assays. These sensors can help evaluate tissue viability and integration in transplantation or tissue engineering, providing real-time insights that ensure successful grafts and reduce rejection risks. The high sensitivity of electrochemical biosensors in particular can enhance these insights further. Their application in monitoring the healing process offers a new dimension to post-surgical care.
Nanomaterial-based biosensors have faced scalability issues for decades due to the limitations of materials like graphene derivatives and noble metals. Fortunately, Gii is actively redefining the potential of nanomaterial-based biosensors by overcoming traditional limitations in scalability, cost and performance. Its high surface area, cost-effective manufacturing and antifouling properties can make it a game-changer in medical diagnostics, chronic disease management and many other areas. By enabling real-time, high-sensitivity detection in complex biological environments, Gii is driving the next generation of biosensor technology, making advanced healthcare more accessible and reliable to all.