Tailoring Biosensor Interfaces: Polydopamine-Assisted Surface Functionalization for Enabling Biorecognition

Abstract

Polydopamine (pDA)–based surface engineering has garnered significant attention as a bioinspired and versatile strategy for enhancing the performance of biosensing platforms. Its strong adhesion to a wide range of substrates, combined with excellent biocompatibility, enables seamless integration into diverse sensing systems. This review summarizes recent advances in pDA-based coatings, with a particular focus on synthetic strategies, surface functionalization techniques, and their applications in biosensors for biomarker detection in biofluids. Special emphasis is placed on immobilization techniques for protein-based bioreceptors, nucleic acids, and blocking agents used to minimize nonspecific interactions. Furthermore, emerging applications of engineered pDA as synthetic receptors via molecular imprinting are discussed. Although current approaches remain largely limited to laboratory settings and require validation for scalable production, this review envisions the integration of molecular-level insights with practical design strategies to drive the development of next-generation pDA-enabled biosensing technologies. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd