Paper-based device providing visual genetic signatures for precision medicine: application to breast cancer

Portable biosensor-based oral pathogenic bacteria detection for community and family applications

Detection of oral pathogens is essential in the management of oral diseases, as their occurrence and progression are closely linked to an imbalance in these microorganisms. Detection techniques such as microbial cultures, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and polymerase chain reactions are highly dependent on complex testing procedures and specialized laboratory equipment, making prevention and early diagnosis of oral diseases difficult. To comprehensively implement oral disease prevention and early diagnosis in social groups, there is an urgent need for portable testing methods for oral pathogenic bacteria that can be applied in community and home settings. In this review, several common portable biosensors for pathogenic bacteria are first described. Based on the goal of achieving primary prevention and diagnosis of oral diseases, we elaborate and summarize portable biosensors for common oral pathogenic bacteria in terms of how to achieve portability of the technique. This review aims to reflect the current status of portable biosensors for common oral pathogens and to lay the foundation for the further realization of portable detection of oral pathogens.

Advances in Multiplexed Paper-Based Analytical Devices for Cancer Diagnosis: A Review of Technological Developments

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide producing estimated cost of $161.2 billion in the US in 2017 only. Early detection of cancer would not only reduce cancer mortality rates but also dramatically reduce healthcare costs given that the 17 million new cancer cases in 2018 are estimated to grow 27.5 million new cases by 2040. Analytical devices based upon paper substrates could provide effective, rapid, and extremely low cost alternatives for early cancer detection compared to existing testing methods. However, low concentrations of biomarkers in body fluids as well as the possible association of any given biomarker with multiple diseases remain as one of the greatest challenges to widespread adoption of these paper-based devices. However, recent advances have opened the possibility of detecting multiple biomarkers within the same device, which could be predictive of a patient's condition with unprecedented cost-effectiveness. Accordingly, this review highlights the recent advancements in paper-based analytical devices with a multiplexing focus. The primary areas of interest include lateral flow assay and microfluidic paper-based assay formats, signal amplification approaches to enhance the sensitivity for a specific cancer type, along with current challenges and future outlook for the detection of multiple cancer biomarkers.

Precision medicine, bioanalytics and nanomaterials: toward a new generation of personalized portable diagnostics

The customization of disease treatment focused on genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors of individual patients, including tailored medical decisions and treatments, is identified as precision medicine. This approach involves the combination of various aspects such as the collection and processing of a large amount of data, the selection of optimized and personalized drug dosage for each patient and the development of selective and reliable analytical tools for the monitoring of clinical, genetic and environmental parameters. In this context, miniaturized, compact and ultrasensitive bioanalytical devices play a crucial role for achieving the goals of personalized medicine. In this review, the latest analytical technologies suitable for providing portable and easy-to-use diagnostic tools in clinical settings will be discussed, highlighting new opportunities arising from nanotechnologies, offering peculiar perspectives and opportunities for precision medicine.