Recent advances in CRISPR- and RCA-based biosensing chips and devices for POCT and in situ detection

Abstract The synergy of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and rolling circle amplification (RCA) has been considered the cutting edge of molecular diagnostics. These biosensing assays, integrated with other techniques, are widely used in various biosensors for the detection of multiple targets, including nucleic and non-nucleic acid targets. Some biosensing platforms have demonstrated detection performance comparable to that of the gold standard techniques, showing the potential for application in the field of point-of-care testing (POCT). Herein, we review the recent advances over the past 5 years in CRISPR- and RCA-based biosensing chips and devices, with a focus on their implementation in POCT and in situ applications. We classify these systems based on target type, compare their performance metrics, and discuss key technological features. Based on relevant commercial products, we also outline the current challenges that these biosensors may face during commercialization and propose some potential solutions and future research directions.