Epitope-imprinted polymers use short surface peptides as templates to create robust, accessible synthetic recognition cavities instead of imprinting whole bacteria or proteins. The review covers rational and computational epitope selection, monomers, bulk, surface, nanoMIP and electropolymerization, template removal and examples targeting M. leprae, S. Typhi and N. meningitidis with electrochemical and piezoelectric transducers. Detection limits, imprinting factors and matrix selectivity are discussed alongside AI-assisted, multiepitope, nanomaterial and portable POC strategies.
Key findings
- Epitope templates create defined robust cavities; multiple routes integrate with transducers; proof of concept exists for important pathogens; reproducibility, scale, matrices and implementation remain limited.
Why this matters globally
Synthetic receptors may reduce antibody cold-chain and batch variation across clinical, food and environmental testing, especially in constrained settings, if real-matrix selectivity and mass production are validated.
Thai researcher contribution
Ahmed S. El-tahlawy, Stefano Cinti, Aziz Amine and Waleed Alahmad are affiliated with Chulalongkorn University in an international analytical-chemistry and biosensor network.
Limitations to consider
The application base is small and LODs from buffers or spiked samples are not comparable. Epitopes may be hidden in native proteins, homolog cross-reactivity needs testing, template leakage is possible, and prospective clinical accuracy is absent.