Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Biosensing: From Synthetic Recognition to Integrated Biointerfaces

Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic receptors with cavities shaped around a template, combining antibody-like selectivity with chemical, thermal, and mechanical robustness; low cost; and reusability. This Review examines recent advances in MIP-based biosensing, from bulk materials to thin-film, nanostructured, surface-imprinted, and epitope-imprinted architectures designed to improve site accessibility and performance in complex biofluids. We connect polymer chemistry and interface design to molecular recognition and electrochemical, optical, and mass-sensitive transduction. Applications range from small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, and viruses to whole cells, encompassing miniaturized, wearable, and point-of-care formats. Particular attention is devoted to design assisted by computational methods and machine learning, as well as to the challenges of reproducibility, standardization, metrology, and sustainability that still limit translation. Rather than universal substitutes for antibodies, MIPs are presented as programmable biointerfaces that integrate molecular recognition, signal transduction, device engineering, and the design of low-environmental-impact materials.