Design and fabrication of field-deployable microbial biosensing devices

Abstract

Biosensors could enable a wide range of applications in environmental monitoring, pathogen detection, and biomarker diagnostics. While conventional diagnostic platforms like chemical sensors and PCR-based assays are capable of highly sensitive detection in laboratory conditions, their configurations, production cost, and operational requirements are not suitable for applications beyond the laboratory. Recent advances in synthetic biology, bioelectronics, and materials sciences have paved the way for the creation of novel microbial biosensing devices, which integrate core synthetic biosensors with state-of-the-art deployment platforms to create unique biosensor products. Here, we review the latest developments in microbial biosensing devices and discuss challenges and perspectives towards realizing their broad applications in real-world settings.

Keywords: Cell-free sensors; Microbial biosensors; Synthetic biology; Whole-cell sensors.