Current status and future challenges of transition-metal oxides as enzyme-mimetics for detection of clinically relevant biomarkers: a comprehensive review

Emerging technologies in healthcare are driving the rapid evolution of advanced sensing and diagnostic systems, paving the way for faster and more accurate predictive and preventive medical applications. The recent identification of numerous biomarkers is linked with early disease detection and screening via real samples. These biomarkers are early warning systems, providing reliable and precise insights into the presence and progression of diseases. In recent years, the strategic utilization of functional transition metal oxides-based nanomaterials are diverse and in combination with electroanalytical techniques have enabled the rapid, sensitive, and selective detection and monitoring of a broad spectrum of biomarkers in body fluids. Given the trace-level concentrations of many biomarkers in bodily fluids, the implementation of signal amplification techniques is critical to enhance detection sensitivity and ensure accurate biomarker quantification. Transition metal oxides-based nanostructures are widely employed to enhance signal output in electrochemical biomarker detection, owing to their excellent catalytic properties and high surface-to-volume ratios. To improve signal sensitivity in electrochemical biomarker detection, transition metal oxide nanostructures are frequently utilized due to their superior electrocatalytic activity, high conductivity, and large active surface areas. This review will examine the recent developments and trends in the use of transition metal oxides for electrochemical biomarker detection via enzyme-mimetics strategy.