Abstract

Biosensors are best known for the hand held blood glucose sensors used by almost all diabetics the world over; commercial sales of biosensors continue to grow nearly exponentially both for the blood glucose / diabetes market, but also for a range of other medical applications to allow, for example, screening for – and the early diagnosis for a range of cancers, infectious diseases and a number of other disease states.

While it is widely acknowledged that many technologies have come together to allow new devices to be realised, the role of materials has often been overlooked. This talk will firstly give an overview of biosensors and their development over the last two decades along with a look to devices currently in development and where the field might continue to develop into the future.

Professor Higson will give a personal perspective of how in many cases Materials Engineering has allowed different fields to come together to create radically new devices that are making a real impact by transforming medical diagnostics and healthcare management.