Over the past 20 years, the field of biosensor research has had a significant impact in both laboratory research and the commercial sector. Over that period, biosensors have revolutionized the care and management of diabetes and have had important impacts in several other areas of clinical diagnostics. Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific have all seen the rise of small and medium sized companies seeking technical and application niches in the manufacture or use of biosensors. The current activity in both gene and protein 'biochips' can be seen as the latest set of tools that allow users who are not analytical science practitioners to make technically complex and reliable biological weapons and the need for their rapid and reliable detection will need to be met by devices that have many characteristics in common with biosensors.
This book provides a practical introduction to the many skills needed in the highly interdisciplinary field of biosensor technology. Edited by two internationally renowned experts in this field, it draws together contributions from active researchers in Europe, North America and Asia who describe how to implement techniques as diverse as protein engineering, optical and electrochemical instrumentation, single cell electrophysiology, screen printing and numerical modelling in the context of producing biosensors for both laboratory and commercial applications. As well as the many detailed protocols and experimental tips, the book also offers an overview of current research in this area as well as pointers to its further directions. The diversity of topics covered means that it will be suitable both for those already active in the area who wish to expandtheir repertoire of experimental tools and for those who are just starting out in biosensors research.

Biosensors are becoming increasingly important bioanalytical tools in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food, and other consumer oriented industries. The technology, though well developed in Europe, is slowly developing and has begun to generate interest in the United States only over the past couple of years. Research is now being directed toward the development of biosensors that are versatile, economical, and simple to use.
Engineering Biosensors is a comprehensive introduction to biosensors that includes numerous illustrations to further explain the main concepts and practical examples from existing literature. It describes what biosensors are, where they are used, and how their performance is affected by existing surface characteristics.
A better understanding of biosensors, as provided by this book, will greatly assist in the design of new as well as the improvement of existing biosensors. Readers are also provided with invaluable and hard-to-find data on the economics of the biosensor market to assist them in better understanding the market and where it is heading.

In a bid to develop synthetic molecules and materials that are capable of mimicking biological recognition and function, intensive research in the fields of synthetic receptor technologies, smart materials, synthetic biology and smart indicators has been under way for the past 20-30 years. The development of synthetic receptors continues to grow rapidly. Novel molecular architectures, with ever improving selective binding properties are constantly being described, and in some cases providing much-needed physical insights into the nature of non-covalent interactions and molecular recognition. Such receptor systems are finding increasingly esoteric applications and this book captures the key developments at the synthetic receptor/biology/detection science interface.

Both editors have had extensive experience in applying smart materials and synthetic receptors to the development of biosensors. Reddy has developed smart, permselective and biocompatible molecularly imprinted polymers and membrane materials for the sensor/sample interface and the advancement of smart materials-based electrochemical, quartz crystal and optical sensors for medical, food and environmental applications. Thompson has had extensive experience in modified surfaces and development of biosensor technologies.

Chapters demonstrate how growing disciplines such as biomimetics, synthetic receptor technologies, pattern recognition and nanotechnology are being used to develop new smart materials for diagnostic sensor and biosensor applications. Postgraduate students and researchers in academia and industry will benefit from this resourceful handbook.

As the elderly population increases, the importance of creating sophisticated information support to humans with limited sensing performance has also grown. This book discusses human and artificial sensing in conjunction with human perception capabilities (auditory, taste, smell, vision, and touch). It also discusses the fusion of this sensing information to find answers to questions such as how we can increase our human "fuzzy" decision capability (perception). The book presents intelligent new technologies that can enhance the natural sensing, perception, and mobility abilities of humans, allowing them to have healthier, more productive, safer lives.

This book gives an overview of the present trends in a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field, namely the research and development of biosensors. It focuses on the development of new biosensors which combine the sensitivity and specificity of biological systems (enzymes, immunosystems, microbial cells, tissue, plants, etc.) with the efficiency of electrochemical transducers. The molecular mechanisms of the processes in biosensors as well as the new methods for transduction and immobilization of biosystems are described in detail. Also, important fields of application are evaluated, i.e. medicinal chemistry including in vivo monitoring, environment pollution monitoring, biotechnology process control, determination of food contaminants and food quality control.

The use of biosensors is accelerating at an enormous rate. Increasingly robust and rapid sensors are being developed for the detection of a wide range of biological molecules and chemicals within the environment. "Biosensors: Methods Express" is a practical guide to all the major classes of electrical and mechanical biosensors in current use. Every chapter discusses the merits and limitations of potential approaches and then provides selected tried-and-tested protocols, with full guidance to ensure success. This book is one which will benefit all researchers who use, or seek to use, biosensors in their research.