Impedimetric biosensors for medical applications : current progress and challenges / Jo V. Rushworth, Natalie A. Hirst, Jack A. Goode, Douglas J. Pike, Asif Ahmed, Paul A. Millner.

Includes bibliographical references : (pages 57-70).

1. Introduction and scope.

2. Biosensors -- 2.1 Brief history of biosensor development -- 2.2 Applications of biosensors -- 2.3 Biosensor architecture, an overview -- 2.4 Biorecognition element -- 2.5 Transducer element -- 2.6 Summary.

3. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy -- 3.1 Brief history of the development of impedimetric biosensors -- 3.2 An overview of impedance -- 3.3 Principles of impedimetric sensing -- 3.4 Presenting and analysing impedance data.

4. Fabrication of impedimetric biosensors -- 4.1 Electrode design and materials -- 4.2 Bioreceptor tethering to transducer surfaces.

5. Commercializing impedimetric biosensors: from laboratory to field -- 5.1 Components of a point-of-care diagnostic device -- 5.2 From research to point-of-care -- 5.3 Sample delivery & processing -- 5.4 Sensor regeneration -- 5.5 Barriers to commercialisation.

6. Case studies of impedimetric biosensors for medical applications -- 6.1 Whole cells and pathogenic microorganisms -- 6.2 Protein and peptide biomarkers of disease -- 6.3 Small molecules.

7. Conclusions and future perspectives.

8. Author biographies -- References.

In this monograph, the authors discuss the current progress in the medical application of impedimetric biosensors, along with the key challenges in the field. First, a general overview of biosensor development, structure and function is presented, followed by a detailed discussion of impedimetric biosensors and the principles of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Next, the current state-of-the art in terms of the science and technology underpinning impedance-based biosensors is reviewed in detail. The layer- by-layer construction of impedimetric sensors is described, including the design of electrodes, their nano-modification, transducer surface functionalisation and the attachment of different bioreceptors. The current challenges of translating lab-based biosensor platforms into commercially-available devices that function with real patient samples at the POC are presented; this includes a consideration of systems integration, microfluidics and biosensor regeneration. The final section of this monograph describes case studies of successful impedance-based biosensors for the detection of a range of analytes from small molecules up to whole microorganisms. Finally, the authors put forward future perspectives for the clinical applications of impedimetric biosensors.