MUNASET Publication: Emergence of graphene-based biosensors for improved treatment response prediction in major depressive disorder--a perspective.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), a leading cause of disability worldwide, is characterised primarily by symptoms such as loss of interest and depressed mood. While effective treatment strategies are generally available, there is significant variability in treatment response between patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify reliable, easily accessible predictors to inform treatment decisions. Currently, there are no tests that can predict individual treatment responses based on biofluids such as blood, serum, plasma and saliva. Given the growing number of MDD patients, there is an urgent need for modern techniques, such as biosensors, to predict treatment outcomes and potentially identify responsive subgroups for personalised treatment.

The authors, who are all involved in the Graphene Flagship's MUNASET project, state that recent research on various biomarkers for major depressive disorder (MDD) provides an opportunity to develop biosensors that can overcome the challenges faced by conventional diagnostic tools. Considerable efforts have been made to achieve this goal over the past decade. In this process, graphene and its derivatives have proven to be an excellent material for designing sensitive electrochemical and electrical biosensing platforms.

Therefore, integrating graphene with potential MDD biomarkers is a promising approach to creating reliable, cost-effective biosensors. This article provides insight into recent developments in electrochemical and electrical biosensors for MDD biomarker quantification, which have been designed using graphene and its derivatives. We also discuss the major challenges and next steps required for developing and optimising biosensors for monitoring responses to different treatment options in MDD.

“The MUNASET project aims to develop graphene-based devices to help doctors monitor patients with depression and other psychiatric disorders undergoing therapy. The envisaged test is fast and easy to use, requires only blood samples, and can be used at the point of care to develop personalised therapies. It can greatly improve treatment outcomes for psychiatric diseases,” Professor Alexey Tarasov, Project Coordinator.

For further information contact: Thomas Zadrozny, Exploitation Manager, MUNASET project, ProActive ltd, Brussels, Belgium
www: https://graphene-flagship.eu/focus/biomedical/munaset/
e-mail: t.zarozny@mail.be