A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON BIOSENSOR USED IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS; CHALLENGES, RECENT ADVANCES AND FUTURE PROSPECTIVES

ABSTRACT
Diagnosis is an important factor in the treatment and management of diseases, yet the truth of
the matter is that most diagnostic tests need lab facilities and take some time to complete.
Microbial culture, PCR, and ELISA are examples of precise and reliable tests; however, the
limitations of such tests are evident during emergencies or limited resources conditions, as
seen from the above example. The biosensor has become more favourable under such
circumstances due to its accuracy. Biosensors involve the use of biological elements such as
enzymes, antibodies or even DNA along with detectors to facilitate the measurement of
biological phenomena. They are therefore well suited for quick analyses using small sample
sizes during diagnosis. Biosensors have received more attention because of health reasons
associated with other worldwide problems such as chronic illnesses like diabetes and
cancers.The coronavirus pandemic has clearly shown once again the significance of timely
diagnostics in terms of its impact on the success of disease management and treatment.
Technological development has played an important role in biosensor innovation. For
example, nanotechnology and materials like graphene and gold nanoparticles helped achieve
better performance, while microfluidics contributed to downsizing and reduced the number of
reagents needed. Besides, a combination of wearable biosensors and smartphones is
promising in terms of remote sensing. Nonetheless, there is a big gap between research work
and its practical application since biosensors showing great performance in laboratory
conditions may behave completely differently when used in the real world. Various problems
of interference, poor stability and scalability are some of the reasons why certain biosensors
cannot be used in practice. The goal of the current literature review is to analyse various
types of biosensors and discuss their advantages and limitations.