The growing demand for decentralized diagnostics and real-time monitoring has accelerated the development of nanobiosensors for point-of-care (PoC) applications. To be effectively deployed in real-world settings, such devices should comply with the World Health Organization’s REASSURED criteria—Real-time connectivity, Ease of specimen collection, Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free, and Deliverable to end users. Meeting these requirements is particularly challenging and must be carefully balanced depending on the intended application scenario, resource availability, and operational environment.
In this context, we explore the design and development of sustainable nanobiosensing platforms that combine advanced nanomaterials with scalable and low-cost fabrication technologies. Our work leverages a wide range of nanomaterials, including metallic nanoparticles, quantum dots, and two-dimensional materials, to enable both optical and electrical transduction mechanisms. Particular emphasis is placed on environmentally conscious substrates such as paper and flexible plastics, together with ubiquitous manufacturing approaches including screen printing, inkjet printing, and stamping.
We present representative examples of nanobiosensors ranging from simple optical assays to fully integrated electrical devices, operating either as standalone systems or in connection with smartphones for data acquisition, processing, and wireless transmission. Applications span human health and environmental monitoring, including cancer biomarkers, neurodegenerative disease indicators, viral and pathogenic detection, and chemical pollutants. Wearable and portable formats are also discussed, highlighting their potential for continuous and on-site monitoring.
Overall, this work illustrates how sustainable materials and fabrication strategies can be combined with nanotechnology to deliver REASSURED-compliant PoC biosensors, paving the way toward accessible, scalable, and impactful diagnostic solutions.
