Recent Advances in Quartz Crystal Microbalance Biosensors Based on the Molecular Imprinting Technique for Disease-Related Biomarkers

The molecular imprinting technique is a quickly developing field of interest regarding the synthesis of artificial recognition elements that enable the specific determination of target molecule/analyte from a matrix. Recently, these smart materials can be successfully applied to biomolecule detection in biomimetic biosensors. These biosensors contain a biorecognition element (a bioreceptor) and a transducer, like their biosensor analogs. Here, the basic difference is that molecular imprinting-based biosensors use a synthetic recognition element. Molecular imprinting polymers used as the artificial recognition elements in biosensor platforms are complementary in shape, size, specific binding sites, and functionality to their template analytes. Recent progress in biomolecular recognition has supplied extra diagnostic and treatment methods for various diseases. Cost-effective, more robust, and high-throughput assays are needed for monitoring biomarkers in clinical settings. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensors are promising tools for the real-time and quick detection of biomolecules in the past two decades A quick, simple-to-use, and cheap biomarkers detection technology based on biosensors has been developed. This critical review presents current applications in molecular imprinting-based quartz crystal microbalance biosensors for the quantification of biomarkers for disease monitoring and diagnostic results.