Themed collection Analyst HOT Articles 2025

The article provides a perspective overview of the development and current status of the field of biomedical spectroscopy, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the foundation of the International Society for Clinical Spectroscopy (CLIRSPEC).

This review comprehensively examines the biological functions of Mg²⁺ within systems, including immunity and cardiovascular health, and discusses detection strategies ranging from atomic spectrometry to fluorescent probes.

This paper is a review of recent advances in sample preparation methods for the detection of small molecules by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and related applications.

This review presents the application of MXene materials in biosensors, combining materials science and sensor engineering to drive innovation in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and personalized medicine.

Schematic diagram of the strategies used for LTP ECL.

In this review, types of MOF-based nanozymes are described in detail, and regulatory strategies of enzyme-mimicking activity are especially highlighted.

Various immobilization formats enable efficient enzyme-based proteolysis, streamlining sample preparation for proteomics through enhanced throughput, reproducibility, and automation compatibility.

A comprehensive guide to selecting the optimum laser wavelength in Raman spectroscopy experiments.

Recent progress in the electrochemiluminescene (ECL) detection of small molecule drugs focused on the innovations in ECL luminophores, electrode materials, and recognition materials.

A catalase-assisted hydrogen peroxide quenching strategy is established by the injection of catalase, which consumes intracellular hydrogen peroxide generated from oxygen stress, into a living cell using a nanopipette.

A novel DNA lesion-modified nanotweezer that underwent conformational switching upon ALKBH enzyme-mediated lesion repair has been reported for monitoring DNA lesion repair activities, screening inhibitors and evaluating drug resistance.

We introduce an innovative two-phase-perovskite-based sensing platform for the ultrasensitive detection of capsaicin via the photo-induced electron transfer mechanism.

DeepPRM-validated serum proteomics and XGBoost modeling uncover predictive protein signatures for stroke risk in LAA.

An integrated self-powered flexible sensor based on ferrocene-mediated biofuel cells and CS@PB electrochromic nanocomposites achieves glucose detection with dual-modal readout.

A room-temperature phosphorescence sensor array for the detection and discrimination of neonicotinoid insecticides was fabricated via a host–guest doping strategy. Five types of samples were quantitatively detected and discriminated using statistical algorithms both in buffer and real samples.

The organic chemical composition of a biodegradable mulch film was determined using ¹H NMR to quantify polyester composition, while GC-MS, DI-Orbitrap-MS and HPLC-Orbitrap-MS/MS identified >100 plastic-derived compounds, including >90 oligoesters.

This study achieved ultrasensitive detection of polystyrene nanoplastics using borosilicate glass nanopipettes enhanced by synergistic electrostatic interactions and steric hindrance effects.

This work achieves the creation of “scratch” for hydrogel-based wound healing assays in a microfluidic device to investigate the effects of matrix viscoelasticity on tumor cell migration.

The significant biological functions and clinical importance of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in lung malignancies make them crucial diagnostic markers.

Based on the outstanding catalytic performance of Ni/CeO₂, a novel cataluminescence sensor with excellent sensitivity, good selectivity, and satisfactory stability was fabricated for the detection of methanol at low working temperature.

A potential reference sample was developed for facile quantification of near-field Raman and photoluminescence contrast factors in gap and non-gap modes.

We present important aspects of uranium particle age dating by Large-Geometry Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (LG-SIMS) that can introduce bias and increase model age uncertainties, especially for small, young, and/or low-enriched particles.

A dual-mode (Colorimetric/PEC) strategy for glutathione detection is developed, utilizing target-induced CuHPT decomposition. This approach demonstrates high sensitivity, specificity, and convenience, enabling feasible serum GSH analysis.

Two novel chiral stationary phases with different spacers were prepared by bonding a chiral trianglsalen macrocycle to thiol-functionalized silica via a thiol-ene click reaction for HPLC enantioseparation, exhibiting excellent enantioselectivity.

A mass spectrometer capable of dynamic switching ion sources has been established and applied to the rapid detection of trace gases (NH₃, H₂S) and high-concentration gases (CH₄, O₂, and CO₂).

An infrared spectral domain adversarial neural network (IRS-DANN) is proposed for clinical diagnosis of lung cancer.

Gold nanoparticle-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates exhibit better chemical stability compared with silver ones, making them suitable for characterizing reaction intermediates in the presence of strong oxidants such as H₂O₂.

An orthogonal barcoding enabled smart nanodevice based on T-EVs for prostate cancer biomarker discovery.

A novel multifunctional near-infrared fluorescent probe for Cys detection and H₂S release with applications in imaging and inflammation treatment.

A Raman sensor based on an ordered multi-tipped Au nanostar array substrate and Raman nanotags enables rapid and accurate detection of the myocardial infarction biomarker cTnI.

Vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) are biomarkers for the diagnosis and course-of-disease monitoring of malignant tumor neuroblastomas, which endanger infants and children.

Strategic engineering of CoS₂/ZnIn₂S₄ heterostructures incorporating Ar plasma-induced sulfur vacancies for boosted electrocatalytic activity in furazolidone detection.

A novel cluster hollow fiber membrane proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Compared to a direct injection PTR-MS, an increase in the detection sensitivity of between 7.6–12.2 times is delivered for eight tested odorous gas.

Differential diagnosis of echinococcosis by IgG Gal-ratio using MALDI-TOF-MS.

Cu NCs@ZIF-8 was prepared by encapsulating Cu NCs with AIE effects into the ZIF-8 through electrostatic attraction. A novel fluorescent nanoprobe was developed for the sensitive detection of felodipine via the inner-filtration effect mechanism.

A novel DNA concatemer-encoded CRISPR/Cas12a fluorescence sensor (MDD-Cas12a) was developed for the sensitive and specific detection of Pb²⁺.

A sensitive and reliable LC-MS-based metabolomic profiling for a day-3 embryo culture medium.

A highly precise colorimetric detection method for MTX was developed based on the Bi₂WO₆ halogen peroxidase (HPO)-like nanozyme.

This paper introduces the RS-MLP framework, a novel multilayer perceptron architecture designed for Raman spectral analysis in both qualitative and quantitative studies of chemical warfare agent simulants.

Forensics relies on the differentiation and classification of document papers, particularly in cases involving document forgery and fraud.

A compehrensive study on the effects of electrochemical mediators on cellular health that highlights detrimental mediator concentrations shown through studies on reactive oxygen species, cell migration, and cell growth and viability.

Fourier-transform mass spectrometry instruments typically require ultra-high vacuum, but dynamic energy-based charge detection mass spectrometry enables high performance mass measurements at much higher pressures.

The continually evolving drug landscape, with novel synthetic drugs and unique compositions, necessitates the need to advance technologies, data analysis methods, and data accessibility for compound detection and identification.

A CRISPR/Cas12a-powered nanoconfined biosensor integrates vertical mesoporous silica membranes with HCR-cascading guanine nanowire amplification for ultrasensitive dual-mode lipopolysaccharide detection.

A chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay based on microfluidic magnetic droplets for multiplex sepsis biomarker screening, which has great potential for broader applications in multiplex biomolecule detection and early disease diagnosis, is reported.

One-pot synthesis of three-way junction (TWJ) is proposed. Based on TWJ, strand displacement amplification and Cas12a system, a sensitive assay strategy is developed targeting H5N1 DNA.

Synchrotron radiation micro X-ray diffraction–micro X-ray fluorescence (SR μXRF–μXRF) mapping explores the interaction of ammonium oxalate (AmOx) conservation treatment with the Mg-containing decayed matrix of cultural heritage fresco.

Integration of a nanobody-nanoluciferase fusion protein into a lateral flow immunoassay for sensitive bioluminescence signaling-based aflatoxin B1 detection using a digital camera.

Single-cell lipidomics enables detailed analysis of the lipidomes of cells, but is challenged by small sample volumes, the risk of background interference and a lack of validation data. This work explores the impact of various parameters on the lipid profile obtained from single cells.

Copper nanocubes as low-cost enzyme mimics for sarcosine sensing.

The real-time microbial growth curve system provides fully automated, high-throughput monitoring of microbial growth with comparable precision to conventional microplate readers, though it offers longer monitoring times.

For the first time, a general and facile strategy for fabrication of polymeric membrane potentiometric ion sensors with excellent anti-fouling properties in terms of superior anti-microbial and anti-algal abilities is described.

Keyhole limpet haemocyanins (KLH1 and KLH2) from Megathura crenulata, are multi-subunit oxygen-carrying metalloproteins of approximately 3900 amino acids, that are widely used as carrier proteins in conjugate vaccines and in immunotherapy.

A fully inkjet-printed potentiometric sensor integrated with a polymeric hydrogel for the detection of Na⁺ in urine.

The formation process of Fe₃O₄@MSN and Fe₃O₄@VSN, and bacterial enrichment by Fe₃O₄@VSN from sample solution for MALDI-TOF MS identification.

Photothermal reflectance (PTR) spectroscopy was proposed for detecting weak absorption of light. A limit of detection of 75 nM in a probe volume of 1.7 fL was achieved for an aqueous solution of a dye with a simple optical setup.

A dual-channel fluorescence sensor array using ATT-AuNCs and BSA/MPA-AuNCs successfully detected 14 REEIs with high sensitivity, distinguishing individual and mixed REEIs via pattern recognition.

A 3D printed instrument for CE-TDA is developed and demonstrated for CE peak identification in antibody fragmentation, and for structural dynamics characterization of a Group II heat resistant protein.

Herein, we constructed a novel fluorescent biosensor for the detection of miRNA-155 based on duplex specific nuclease assisted amplification and DNA-templated silver nanoclusters as fluorescence signal probes. This work provides a potential universal biosensing platform for miRNA detection.

Most of the existing SERS systems failed to achieve satisfactory results in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease owing to a lack of effective signal transduction.

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has attracted increasing attention as a promising biomarker in liquid biopsy due to its crucial role in disease diagnosis.

Dipicolinic acid (DPA) is a key biomarker of bacterial spores.

The ratiometric sensing strategy, which uses dual-signal output, drastically compensates for the background noise and interference from the detection environment, compared to the sensing methods that rely on a single-signal output.

A novel biocompatible ratiometric lanthanide fluorescent probe based on an internal reference (CIP@SiO₂-Ce/ATP-Tris) was constructed for alkaline phosphatase detection.

An electrochemical sensor based on cobalt tungstate/multi-walled carbon nanotube (CoWO₄/MWCNT) nanocomposites was prepared for the rapid and sensitive detection of the phenothiazine drug chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPZ).

This work designed an electrochemical immunoassay for interleukin-6 on functionalized glassy carbon electrode using Prussian blue-doped CaCO₃ nanoparticle-labeled secondary antibodies.

Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a platform that allows the automated manipulation of individual droplets, ranging from nanoliters to microliters, and coupling sensing techniques can be facilitated by paper-based devices (PAD).