Dopamine-based molecularly imprinted polymers: Synthesis strategies, biomedical applications, and future perspectives

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as powerful artificial recognition platforms in the fields of separation science, chemical sensing, drug delivery, and biocatalysis, offering unparalleled tailor-made specificity and affinity for target molecules. Among various functional materials, dopamine-based MIPs have garnered exceptional attention in recent years due to their unique combination of advantageous physicochemical properties, including facile and controllable polymerization under mild conditions; rich interfacial interactions through diverse functional groups; excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability; and versatile secondary functionalization capabilities. This comprehensive review systematically summarizes and critically analyzes the latest advances in dopamine-based MIPs, with particular focus on innovative design strategies and their cutting-edge biomedical applications. Emphasis is also placed on the long-standing challenges of dopamine in molecular imprinting, and future perspectives on next-generation materials based on dopamine-based MIPs.