Development of Nucleic‐Acid‐Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Clinical Applications

Nucleic acids are remarkable molecules. In addition to Watson-Crick base pairing, the different structural motifs of these molecules can bind non-nucleic acid targets or catalyze chemical reactions. Additionally, nucleic acids are easily modified with different molecules or functional groups. These properties make nucleic acids, particularly DNA, ideally-suited for use in electrochemical biosensors, both as biorecognition elements and redox reporter probes. In this paper, we will review the historical evolution of nucleic acids as probes in electrochemical biosensors. We will then review the specific examples of nucleic-acid based biosensors that have been evaluated for clinical use in the areas of infectious disease, cancer, or cardiovascular health.