About this Research Topic
The emergence of nanoscience has led to the widespread use of nanomaterials in biomedical sensing as carriers, labels, and even machines/robots. Among the different nanomaterials, magnetic nano-/micro-particles have attracted the most attention due to their unique advantages including noncontact manipulation, biocompatibility, colloidal/signal stability, and accessibility. Notably, the high contrast of the magnetic signal against biological objects (which typically have negligible magnetic susceptibilities) is of great significance in developing ultra-sensitive and highly selective analytical systems, potentially revolutionizing traditional biomedical engineering. As a result, there has been fast growth in the utilization of magnetic particle-assisted sensing strategies and magnetic particle-based biosensors over the past decade.
By utilizing external magnetic fields (either static or dynamic), magnetic nano-/micro-particles can be actuated as remote handles to manipulate particle-binding objects. This allows for precise controls such as extraction, stirring, and sorting, as well as specific biophysical measurements based on magnetic/optical/electrochemical signal transduction. In addition, magnetic force-enhanced encounters between particles help to overcome the limitation of reaction efficiency governed by Brownian diffusion, thus accelerating kinetics for rapid and homogeneous analysis.
Despite the growing popularity of magnetic particle-assisted biomedical sensing, some concerns still need to be addressed. For example, the noisy background could be induced by magnetic incubation due to enhanced nonspecific inter-particle binding kinetics, limiting the sensitivity of the system. Moreover, magnetic multiplex detection poses a challenge in distinguishing signals from different magnetic particles. For example, magnetic relaxation switching cannot distinguish T2 signals generated by different magnetic particles. To develop new approaches that focus on the fabrication of materials, signal processing, and sensing principles, it is of utmost importance to address these concerns.
For this Research Topic, we welcome recent developments and discoveries in different perspectives on magnetic particle-assisted sensing and magnetic biosensors. Original research articles, reviews, and perspectives are welcomed. The scope of this Research Topic includes but is not limited to:
(1) Magnetic particle-assisted biomedical sensing and imaging;
(2) Magnetic biosensors (e.g., magnetic relaxation switching biosensors and giant magnetoresistance biosensors);
(3) Magnetic particle-based analyses in biomechanics (e.g., studies on cell stiffness)
(4) Strategies for the detection of magnetic nano-/micro-particles;
(5) Magnetic nanomaterials with unique catalytic activity (i.e., magnetic nanozymes);
(6) Magnetic particle-enabled actuation and applications (e.g., magnetic separation and magnetophoresis);
(7) Surface modification of magnetic beads for biosensing;
(8) Magnetic beads in microfluidics for biosensing.
By utilizing external magnetic fields (either static or dynamic), magnetic nano-/micro-particles can be actuated as remote handles to manipulate particle-binding objects. This allows for precise controls such as extraction, stirring, and sorting, as well as specific biophysical measurements based on magnetic/optical/electrochemical signal transduction. In addition, magnetic force-enhanced encounters between particles help to overcome the limitation of reaction efficiency governed by Brownian diffusion, thus accelerating kinetics for rapid and homogeneous analysis.
Despite the growing popularity of magnetic particle-assisted biomedical sensing, some concerns still need to be addressed. For example, the noisy background could be induced by magnetic incubation due to enhanced nonspecific inter-particle binding kinetics, limiting the sensitivity of the system. Moreover, magnetic multiplex detection poses a challenge in distinguishing signals from different magnetic particles. For example, magnetic relaxation switching cannot distinguish T2 signals generated by different magnetic particles. To develop new approaches that focus on the fabrication of materials, signal processing, and sensing principles, it is of utmost importance to address these concerns.
For this Research Topic, we welcome recent developments and discoveries in different perspectives on magnetic particle-assisted sensing and magnetic biosensors. Original research articles, reviews, and perspectives are welcomed. The scope of this Research Topic includes but is not limited to:
(1) Magnetic particle-assisted biomedical sensing and imaging;
(2) Magnetic biosensors (e.g., magnetic relaxation switching biosensors and giant magnetoresistance biosensors);
(3) Magnetic particle-based analyses in biomechanics (e.g., studies on cell stiffness)
(4) Strategies for the detection of magnetic nano-/micro-particles;
(5) Magnetic nanomaterials with unique catalytic activity (i.e., magnetic nanozymes);
(6) Magnetic particle-enabled actuation and applications (e.g., magnetic separation and magnetophoresis);
(7) Surface modification of magnetic beads for biosensing;
(8) Magnetic beads in microfluidics for biosensing.
Keywords: Magnetic biosensors, Magnetic particles, Magnetic nanoparticles, Magnetic resonance, Magnetic actuation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
