Optical biosensors are a promising and rapidly evolving technology that can contribute to a better understanding of molecular processes associated with the onset or progression of diseases or their diagnostics. In the January issue of Nature Nanotechnology, Hatice Altug (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland), Sang-Hyun Oh (University of Minnesota, USA), Stefan A. Maier (Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Germany) and Jiří Homola (Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences) published a study entitled "Advances and applications of nanophotonic biosensors", reviewing the advances in optical biosensor research and its medical applications.
The introductory section of the study reviews the state of the art in the research of optical biosensors based on optical nanostructures. This section also provides examples of applications of such biosensors, especially in the detection of disease biomarkers. The second section highlights trends in nanophotonic biosensor research and identifies advances in various areas that can help biosensors achieve even better performance, enable new functions, or improve their economic efficiency. These include advances in the physics and technology of nanostructures and their integration with optoelectronic circuits, functional coatings for the specific detection of biomolecules in complex biological media, or artificial intelligence.
Researchers at the Institute of Photonics and Electronics have been researching optical biosensors for more than 25 years. The leader of the Optical Biosensors research team, prof. Jiří Homola, says: “Preparing studies like this is an opportunity to stop and reflect on previous researches, analyze successes and failures and discuss where research is heading and what impact further developments will have on society. Therefore, such projects are important and inspiring.” We hope the new study will be just as inspiring for its readers.
IPE carries out fundamental and applied research in the scientific fields of photonics, optoelectronics and electronics. In these fields, IPE generates new knowledge and develops new technologies.
