BIOSENSORS - REALITIES AND ASPIRATIONS

Glucose biosensors have proved an enormous success and are used by a g rowing number of people with diabetes throughout the world. There are several other notable biosensor developments that are already having a n impact on analytical science, but the vast majority of possibilities remain restricted to the realm of academic papers. Generic goals may be identified which underpin more applied biosensor programmes and tac kle some of the principal hurdles to the widespread adoption of biosen sor technology for analysis. The design of integrated systems, approac hes to patterning sensitive elements and methods to improve the sensit ivity, stability and selectivity of biosensors are key areas which are being tackled in our laboratories. This review considers some recent progress under each of these headings and speculates on the socio-econ omic impact of success.