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A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 55811

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Benjamin L. Miller

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Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Interests: optical biosensors; integrated photonics; interferometry; photonic crystals; developing world diagnostics; tissue chips
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts for a Special Issue of the journal Sensors on “Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Applications”. The field of optical sensors has undergone rapid growth in recent years, with new concepts in miniaturization, multiplex analysis, photonic structures, and optically responsive materials appearing regularly. At the same time, the fields of genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics are providing a wealth of new molecules to detect.

This Special Issue will highlight research focused on the development and use of new optical sensors for medical diagnostics, biomedical research, and related endeavors. Papers describing new optical diagnostics methods for point-of-care, field-use, and resource-limited applications are encouraged, as are those reporting novel assays, multiplex testing systems, “lab-on-a-chip” sensors, and spectroscopic methods. Both application-focused and fundamental contributions (with likely downstream applications in biomedicine) are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Benjamin L. Miller
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Optical sensing
Point-of-care diagnostics
Developing world diagnostics
Integrated photonics for sensing
Plasmonics
Multiplex detection
Spectroscopy
Lab-on-a-chip devices

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 2807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Methods for Specific Capture of Biological Targets on Aluminum Substrates: Application to Bacillus subtilis Spore Detection as a Model for Anthrax

by Ethan P. Luta and Benjamin L. Miller

Sensors 2022, 22(9), 3441; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22093441 - 30 Apr 2022

Viewed by 3420

Abstract

Many (if not most) biosensors rely on functional silane coatings as a first step toward covalent immobilization of specific capture molecules. While methods for silanization of silica (SiO₂) surfaces are very well developed, less has been done to develop and characterize silanization methods for alternative substrates, such as alumina (Al₂O₃). In particular, the behavior of Al₂O₃ coatings grown on aluminum under ambient conditions has not been studied. To address this issue, we have tested solution-phase deposition of two silanes on Al₂O₃ (3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane and 3-triethoxysilyl)propylsuccinic anhydride) and their applicability to analyte-specific biosensing. Contact angle measurements and imaging via Scanning Electron Microsopy (SEM) were employed to characterize surfaces. We find that 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane produces well-behaved films and demonstrate that this surface can undergo further reaction with glutaraldehyde followed by an anti-Bacillus subtilis antibody to yield functionalized Al₂O₃ surfaces capable of specific capture of B. subtilis spores (a model of B. anthracis, the causative organism of Anthrax). In contrast, 3-triethoxysilyl)propylsuccinic anhydride did not behave well with Al/Al₂O₃ under the reaction conditions tested. In addition to providing specific protocols for Al/Al₂O₃ functionalization, this work highlights the importance of surface chemistry assessment in the development of new sensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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10 pages, 2036 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring Serum Spike Protein with Disposable Photonic Biosensors Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination

by John S. Cognetti and Benjamin L. Miller

Sensors 2021, 21(17), 5857; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21175857 - 31 Aug 2021

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 13340

Abstract

While mRNA vaccines have been well-studied in vitro and in animals prior to their use in the human population during the Covid-19 pandemic, their exact mechanisms of inducing immunity are still being elucidated. The large-scale collection of data necessary to fully understand these mechanisms, and their variability across heterogeneous populations, requires rapid diagnostic tests that accurately measure the various biomarkers involved in the immune response following vaccination. Recently, our lab developed a novel “Disposable Photonics” platform for rapid, label-free, scalable diagnostics that utilizes photonic ring resonator sensor chips combined with plastic micropillar cards able to provide passive microfluidic flow. Here, we demonstrate the utility of this system in confirming the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the serum of recently vaccinated subjects, as well as tracking a post-vaccination rise in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. A maximum concentration in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was detected one day after vaccination and was reduced below detectable levels within 10 days. This highlights the applicability of our rapid photonic sensor platform for acquiring the data necessary to understand vaccine mechanisms on a large scale, as well as individual patient responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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24 pages, 103626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anatomical 3D Modeling Using IR Sensors and Radiometric Processing Based on Structure from Motion: Towards a Tool for the Diabetic Foot Diagnosis

by Rafael Bayareh Mancilla, Bình Phan Tấn, Christian Daul, Josefina Gutiérrez Martínez, Lorenzo Leija Salas, Didier Wolf and Arturo Vera Hernández

Sensors 2021, 21(11), 3918; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113918 - 6 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3766

Abstract

Medical infrared thermography has proven to be a complementary procedure to physiological disorders, such as the diabetic foot. However, the technique remains essentially based on 2D images that display partial anatomy. In this context, a 3D thermal model provides improved visualization and faster inspection. This paper presents a 3D reconstruction method associated with temperature information. The proposed solution is based on a Structure from Motion and Multi-view Stereo approach, exploiting a set of multimodal merged images. The infrared images were obtained by automatically processing the radiometric data to remove thermal interferences, segment the RoI, enhance false-color contrast, and for multimodal co-registration under a controlled environment and a ∆T < 2.6% between the RoI and thermal interferences. The geometric verification accuracy was 77% ± 2%. Moreover, a normalized error was adjusted per sample based on a linear model to compensate for the curvature emissivity (error ≈ 10% near to 90°). The 3D models were displayed with temperature information and interaction controls to observe any point of view. The temperature sidebar values were assigned with information retrieved only from the RoI. The results have proven the feasibility of the 3D multimodal construction to be used as a promising tool in the diagnosis of diabetic foot. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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14 pages, 1288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methods and Limits for Micro Scale Blood Vessel Flow Imaging in Scattering Media by Optical Feedback Interferometry: Application to Human Skin

by Adam Quotb, Reza Atashkhooei, Simone Magaletti, Francis Jayat, Clement Tronche, Julien Goechnahts and Julien Perchoux

Sensors 2021, 21(4), 1300; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21041300 - 11 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3008

Abstract

At the micrometric scale, vessels or skin capillaries network architecture can provide useful information for human health management. In this paper, from simulation to in vitro, we investigate some limits and interests of optical feedback interferometry (OFI) for blood flow imaging of skin vascularization. In order to analyze the tissue scattering effect on OFI performances, a series of skin-tissue simulating optical phantoms have been designed, fabricated and characterized. The horizontal (2D) and vertical (depth penetration) sensing resolution of the OFI sensor have been estimated. The experimental results that we present on this study are showing a very good accordance with theoretical models. In the case of a skin phantom of 0.5 mm depth with a scattering coefficient from 0 to 10.8 mm

^{- 1}

, the presented OFI system is able to distinguish a pair of micro fluidic channels (100 µm × 100 µm) spaced by 10 µm. Eventually, an in vivo test on human skin is presented and, for the first time using an OFI sensor, a 2D blood flow image of a vein located just beneath the skin is computed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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14 pages, 3629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Stable Biotin-Streptavidin Surface Enables Multiplex, Label-Free Protein Detection by Aptamer and Aptamer-Protein Arrays Using Arrayed Imaging Reflectometry

by Alanna M. Klose and Benjamin L. Miller

Sensors 2020, 20(20), 5745; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20205745 - 10 Oct 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3951

Abstract

While label-free multiplex sensor technology enables “mixing and matching” of different capture molecules in principle, in practice this has been rarely (if ever) demonstrated. To fill this gap, we developed protocols for the preparation of mixed aptamer-protein arrays on the arrayed imaging reflectometry (AIR) sensing platform using streptavidin as a common attachment point for both biotinylated proteins and aptamers. Doing so required overcoming the noted instability of dried streptavidin monolayers on surfaces. After characterizing this degradation, stable surfaces were obtained using a commercial microarray product. Microarraying through the layer of stabilizer then provided mixed aptamer-antibody arrays. We demonstrate that sensor arrays prepared in this manner are suitable for several probes (thrombin and TGF-β1 aptamers; avi-tagged protein) and targets. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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12 pages, 5673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Robust Autofluorescence Lifetime Sensing Method for Use in an Endoscopic Application

by Shuntaro Ito, Masaaki Hashimoto and Yoshihiro Taguchi

Sensors 2020, 20(7), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20071847 - 26 Mar 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3380

Abstract

Endoscopic autofluorescence lifetime imaging is a promising technique for making quantitative and non-invasive diagnoses of abnormal tissue. However, motion artifacts caused by vibration in the direction perpendicular to the tissue surface in a body makes clinical diagnosis difficult. Thus, this paper proposes a robust autofluorescence lifetime sensing technique with a lens tracking system based on a laser beam spot analysis. Our optical setup can be easily mounted on the head of an endoscope. The variation in distance between the optical system and the target surface is tracked by the change in the spot size of the laser beam captured by the camera, and the lens actuator is feedback-controlled to suppress motion artifacts. The experimental results show that, when using a lens tracking system, the standard deviation of fluorescence lifetime is dramatically reduced. Furthermore, the validity of the proposed method is experimentally confirmed by using a bio-mimicking phantom that replicates the shape, optical parameters, and chemical component distribution of the cancerous tissue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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12 pages, 2304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Laser Resonance Frequency Analysis: A Novel Measurement Approach to Evaluate Acetabular Cup Stability During Surgery

by Shunsuke Kikuchi, Katsuhiro Mikami, Daisuke Nakashima, Toshiyuki Kitamura, Noboru Hasegawa, Masaharu Nishikino, Arihiko Kanaji, Masaya Nakamura and Takeo Nagura

Sensors 2019, 19(22), 4876; https://doi.org/10.3390/s19224876 - 8 Nov 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3746

Abstract

Artificial joint acetabular cup stability is essential for successful total hip arthroplasty. However, a quantitative evaluation approach for clinical use is lacking. We developed a resonance frequency analysis (RFA) system involving a laser system that is fully contactless. This study aimed to investigate the usefulness of laser RFA for evaluating acetabular cup stability. First, the finite element method was performed to determine the vibration mode for analysis. Second, the acetabular cup was press-fitted into a reamed polyurethane cavity that replicated the human acetabular roof. The implanted acetabular cup was vibrated with pulse laser irradiation and the induced vibration was detected with a laser Doppler vibrometer. The time domain signal from the vibrometer was analyzed by fast Fourier transform to obtain the vibration frequency spectrum. After laser RFA, the pull-down force of the acetabular cup was measured as conventional implant fixation strength. The frequency of the first highest amplitude between 2 kHz and 6 kHz was considered as the resonance peak frequency, and its relationship with the pull-down force was assessed. The peak frequency could predict the pull-down force (R² = 0.859, p < 0.000). Our findings suggest that laser RFA might be useful to measure acetabular cup stability during surgery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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Review

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22 pages, 4720 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Proteins and Specific DNA Sequences Using a Magnetic Modulation Biosensing System

by Shira Roth, Michael Margulis and Amos Danielli

Sensors 2022, 22(12), 4497; https://doi.org/10.3390/s22124497 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3124

Abstract

In early disease stages, biomolecules of interest exist in very low concentrations, presenting a significant challenge for analytical devices and methods. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of an innovative optical biosensing technology, termed magnetic modulation biosensing (MMB), its biomedical applications, and its ongoing development. In MMB, magnetic beads are attached to fluorescently labeled target molecules. A controlled magnetic force aggregates the magnetic beads and transports them in and out of an excitation laser beam, generating a periodic fluorescent signal that is detected and demodulated. MMB applications include rapid and highly sensitive detection of specific nucleic acid sequences, antibodies, proteins, and protein interactions. Compared with other established analytical methodologies, MMB provides improved sensitivity, shorter processing time, and simpler protocols. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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31 pages, 5364 KiB

Open AccessReview

Optical Technologies for the Improvement of Skin Cancer Diagnosis: A Review

by Laura Rey-Barroso, Sara Peña-Gutiérrez, Carlos Yáñez, Francisco J. Burgos-Fernández, Meritxell Vilaseca and Santiago Royo

Sensors 2021, 21(1), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21010252 - 2 Jan 2021

Cited by 62 | Viewed by 8887

Abstract

The worldwide incidence of skin cancer has risen rapidly in the last decades, becoming one in three cancers nowadays. Currently, a person has a 4% chance of developing melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, which causes the greatest number of deaths. In the context of increasing incidence and mortality, skin cancer bears a heavy health and economic burden. Nevertheless, the 5-year survival rate for people with skin cancer significantly improves if the disease is detected and treated early. Accordingly, large research efforts have been devoted to achieve early detection and better understanding of the disease, with the aim of reversing the progressive trend of rising incidence and mortality, especially regarding melanoma. This paper reviews a variety of the optical modalities that have been used in the last years in order to improve non-invasive diagnosis of skin cancer, including confocal microscopy, multispectral imaging, three-dimensional topography, optical coherence tomography, polarimetry, self-mixing interferometry, and machine learning algorithms. The basics of each of these technologies together with the most relevant achievements obtained are described, as well as some of the obstacles still to be resolved and milestones to be met. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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51 pages, 8385 KiB

Open AccessReview

Optical Biosensors for the Detection of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Biomarkers: A Comprehensive Review

by José Javier Imas, Carlos Ruiz Zamarreño, Pablo Zubiate, Lorena Sanchez-Martín, Javier Campión and Ignacio Raúl Matías

Sensors 2020, 20(21), 6289; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20216289 - 4 Nov 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7358

Abstract

A comprehensive review of optical biosensors for the detection of biomarkers associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is presented here, including microRNAs (miRNAs), C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and histidine, which are biomarkers that enable RA detection and/or monitoring. An overview of the different optical biosensors (based on fluorescence, plasmon resonances, interferometry, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) among other optical techniques) used to detect these biomarkers is given, describing their performance and main characteristics (limit of detection (LOD) and dynamic range), as well as the connection between the respective biomarker and rheumatoid arthritis. It has been observed that the relationship between the corresponding biomarker and rheumatoid arthritis tends to be obviated most of the time when explaining the mechanism of the optical biosensor, which forces the researcher to look for further information about the biomarker. This review work attempts to establish a clear association between optical sensors and rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers as well as to be an easy-to-use tool for the researchers working in this field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Optical Sensors for Biomedical Application)

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