Point of Care Diagnostic Biosensors
Overview
Diagnostics become more important in third world countries as the people have limited access to medical care systems and have less awareness of healthy lifestyles. There is certainly a need for on-site detection in the life science fields; and for point-of-care diagnostics in rural areas of underdeveloped countries so that even an unskilled person can use the device to determine the presence of disease-causing markers. Currently, diagnostics commonly employ long assay time, trained personnel, sophisticated instruments, and require financial support. A good approach to overcome this current situation would be the use of flexible and paper-based point-of-care devices to detect specific biomarkers. Biomarkers provide insight into normal biological processes, pathogenic processes, and pharmacological therapeutic interventions. Hence, the development of more compatible, reliable, convenient, simple, easy-to-use systems would be of great use to a person less skilled in medical diagnostic procedures.