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  • Review Article
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Microneedle-based biosensing

Nature Reviews Bioengineering volume 2, pages 64–81 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

Microneedles (MNs) are microscopic needles that are applied to the skin in a minimally invasive way to facilitate transdermal drug delivery and/or uptake of interstitial fluid from the skin, which contains a variety of metabolites that can serve as biomarkers. The collection of interstitial fluid can be followed by post-sampling analysis or in situ real-time biosensing for disease diagnosis and drug monitoring. The painless and easy administration of MNs is appealing to patients, especially for long-term monitoring. In this Review, we discuss the use of MNs for biosensing purposes. We highlight the different types of MNs and sensing technologies used to develop MN-based biosensors. In addition, we discuss the potential to integrate MNs with wearable devices for real-time monitoring to improve point-of-care testing. Finally, we review the translational hurdles to be considered in bringing this technology from benchtop to bedside.

Key points

  • Skin, as the largest body organ, houses a wide range of metabolites that may be identified as biomarkers for disease prognosis and monitoring.

  • Microneedle (MN) technology is primarily used as a drug-delivery tool; however, there is a paradigm shift toward utilizing MNs for biosensing purposes.

  • MN-based biosensors can provide a powerful platform for high-throughput and rapid disease state diagnosis and monitoring.

  • Developing new sensing modalities can improve the accuracy, precision and sensitivity of MN-based biosensors.

  • MN-based biosensors offer a wide range of benefits for patients who require continuous and convenient health surveillance; however, multiple translational hurdles must be overcome before MN-based biosensors reach the market.

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Fig. 1: MN-based biosensor timeline and concept.
Fig. 2: Schematic for MN retention and biofluidic extraction mechanisms from the skin.
Fig. 3: Schematic representation of the working principles of MNs for biosensing.
Fig. 4: Advanced proof-of-concept devices with MN biosensors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) grant numbers EP/H021647/1 and EP/V047221/1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Queen’s University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast, UK

    Lalitkumar K. Vora, Akmal H. Sabri, Peter E. McKenna, Achmad Himawan, Aaron R. J. Hutton, Usanee Detamornrat, Alejandro J. Paredes, Eneko Larrañeta & Ryan F. Donnelly

  2. Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

    Achmad Himawan

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Ryan Donnelly is an inventor of patents that have been licensed to companies developing microneedle-based products and is a paid advisor to companies developing microneedle-based products. The resulting potential conflict of interest has been disclosed and is managed by Queen’s University Belfast. The companies had no role in the design of the manuscript, in the collection, analysis or interpretation of the various studies reviewed, in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish.

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Vora, L.K., Sabri, A.H., McKenna, P.E. et al. Microneedle-based biosensing. Nat Rev Bioeng 2, 64–81 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-023-00108-7

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