Recent advances in MXene-molecularly imprinted polymer hybrid nanocomposites for electrochemical detection of pandemic-related biomarkers.

The COVID-19 outbreak highlighted the critical demand for rapid, ultra-sensitive, and selective biosensing platforms to support early diagnosis, point-of-care testing, and large-scale surveillance. Among the various sensing strategies being explored, electrochemical biosensors have attracted considerable interest due to their inherent sensitivity, simplicity, and potential for miniaturization. In this context, hybrid materials combining molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with two-dimensional MXenes have recently emerged as promising platforms for biosensing applications. MXenes offer excellent electrical conductivity, hydrophilic surfaces, and abundant functional groups. At the same time, MIPs provide binding sites that recognize targets, similar to those of natural receptors, yet exhibit enhanced thermal and chemical stability. When these materials are integrated, they can provide a sensing interface that benefits from both efficient electron transfer and highly selective molecular recognition. This review highlights recent advances in MXene-MIP composite materials applied in electrochemical biosensing, with particular emphasis on their potential for pandemic diagnostics. Various fabrication approaches are discussed, including in situ polymerization on MXene sheets, electropolymerization-based surface imprinting, and layer-by-layer (LbL) or covalent grafting strategies. Such strategies allow better control of the sensing interface. Additionally, the influence of various electrochemical transduction techniques and device configurations on sensor performance is also examined. Recent reports on the detection of pandemic-associated biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, ferritin, D-dimer, and cardiac troponins, are reviewed to highlight the analytical capabilities of these hybrid systems. Finally, the main challenges that still limit practical applications, such as MXene oxidation, reproducibility of the imprinting process, and device integration, are discussed, along with possible future research directions. Overall, MXene-MIP hybrid materials appear to offer a versatile and promising route toward next-generation electrochemical biosensors for rapid and sensitive diagnostic applications.