Molecular recognition polymer microspheres and nanoparticles for nonseparation assays: the Mosbach imprint

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres using precipitation polymerization was first reported in 1999 in Lund. The synthetic approach attracted great interest for molecular imprinters worldwide due to its simplicity. Following the initial demonstration of feasibility for material synthesis, imprinted polymer microspheres were found to exhibit good colloidal stability qualifying for use as antibody substitutes in a proximity scintillation assay. In the following years, other types of nonseparation assays using imprinted polymer microspheres started to be developed. Molecular detection based on fluorescence measurements eventually became the method of choice to avoid radioactive tracers. Many of the research ideas have been inspired by the earlier contributions from Professor Klaus Mosbach. This manuscript provides a historic review on molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres and nanoparticles designed for nonseparation assays. While the main thread is the research evolvement of the authors’ laboratory till the present time, important contributions from other groups are also discussed.