{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,5]],"date-time":"2026-09-05T05:52:27Z","timestamp":1788587547359,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]],"date-time":"2026-05-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778284800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Italian Ministry of University and Research","award":["art. 22 Legge 240\/2010 and D.D. MUR n. 47\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["art. 22 Legge 240\/2010 and D.D. MUR n. 47\/2025"]}]},{"name":"PNNR program, Innovative Health Ecosystem, within the thematic area Nanotechnologies for Diagnosis and Therapy"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technology provides a powerful, label-free platform for monitoring molecular interactions in real time with nanogram sensitivity. Recent advances in compact instrumentation have enhanced analytical performance while reducing energy consumption, aligning with the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. In parallel, the European Union has recommended the replacement of animal-derived antibodies with non-animal alternatives, creating an urgent need for sustainable affinity receptors. In this study, we present an innovative application of polynorepinephrine (PNE)-based molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with a compact QCM sensing. PNE, a bioinspired polymer formed under mild aqueous conditions, offers strong adhesive properties and biocompatibility, enabling robust immobilization of imprinted receptors on gold-coated quartz disks. The resulting PNE-MIP\/QCM platform combines the ultrasensitivity of quartz microbalances with the selectivity of molecular imprinting, delivering a reproducible and environmentally responsible affinity sensor. The sensor showed a limit of detection of 11.2 nM and enabled accurate IgG quantification in diluted human serum samples. As a proof of concept, the system was applied to Human Immunoglobulin G (IgG1) detection, demonstrating its potential for sustainable clinical diagnostics.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26102985","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T15:39:32Z","timestamp":1778513972000},"page":"2985","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Development of an Improved QCM-D Instrumentation for Affinity Sensing by Bioinspired Molecular-Imprinted Polymers (MIP) for IgG Detection in Serum"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8842-542X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Doretta","family":"Cuffaro","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56125 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lucia","family":"Bonasera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56125 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2669-5376","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisa","family":"Nuti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56125 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Riccardo","family":"Galletti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ElbaTech Srl, 57030 Marciana, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuela","family":"Adami","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ElbaTech Srl, 57030 Marciana, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Sartore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ElbaTech Srl, 57030 Marciana, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0906-0862","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria","family":"Minunni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56125 Pisa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1080\/00032719508001422","article-title":"The Quartz Crystal Microbalance as Biosensor. 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