Genetic and Other DNA‐Based Biosensor Applications

The interest and research effort into the development of DNA diagnostic tools has increased dramatically and new instruments to detect, analyze, and quantify gene-specific information are expected to revolutionize healthcare. In this chapter, a number of application fields for DNA-based biosensors are described, together with some examples highlighting the specific nature of DNA-based diagnostics, its impact on biosensor requirements, and how specific challenges in the field can be addressed. An overview, illustrated with some original work, provides aspects of a potential route toward affordable DNA-sensor arrays with a particular focus on multiplexing and compatibility with polymer integration technology. Keywords: DNA sensor; sensor array; interdigitated electrode arrays; impedance; polymer moulding; target amplification; integration; point-of-care; molecular diagnostics