Nanobiosensors and fluorescence based biosensors: An overview

A biosensor can sense biological elements after interaction with the recognition element. The signal produced due to interaction of the analyte with its biochemical element is transduced by a transducer and detected by appropriate modes. The miniaturization of these biosensors at the nano level using nanostructures as a platform for sensing the analyte or its detection is called a nanobiosensor. Several biological elements can be detected like nucleic acids, enzymes, antibodies, microorganisms, toxins, cells etc. with high specificity. This mini review focuses on the different types of nanobiosensors based on the type of analyte and the type of transducer used for detection. The different types of fluorescence based design of biosensors are also discussed along with the metal enhanced fluorescence based nanobiosensors. The application of biosensors towards the diagnosis of various diseases, targeted drug delivery and imaging is also discussed.