In the unprecedented times of COVID-19, the major challenge that rather facilitates coronavirus-transmission is the lack of rapid point-of-care testing. RT-PCR, rapid antigen test kits, and other available diagnostics tests have limitations pertaining to either unavailability of immediate results or compromised sensitivity towards varied strains. Researchers from the University of Texas, Austin and an optics company have reviewed optical biosensors as a tool for point-of-care COVID-19 testing in their recent publication in the journal Applied Physics Reviews.
Types of optical biosensors Optical biosensors function by “harnessing the optical field with a moiety capable of biorecognition.” There are different receptor types which integrate with different detection mechanisms for biorecognition. These sensors are capable of investigating toxins, proteins, pathogens, disease biomarkers and…
