We published a review in Journal of Materials Chemistry B on the role of the matrix in metabolite sensors. The matrix governs analyte transport, interfacial stability and signal coupling, yet it is often treated as a passive support rather than as a design parameter. The review analyses how matrix architecture controls sensing behaviour across polymeric, inorganic, carbon-based and supramolecular materials and across electrochemical, optical and electrical transduction modes, with a focus on operation in complex biological media. No single matrix class optimises sensitivity, selectivity and stability at the same time; sensor performance results from the alignment between matrix architecture and signal-generating mechanism. The review provides a basis for rational matrix design toward continuous, multi-analyte and clinically deployable metabolite sensors. The work is a collaborative effort involving Martin Varga, Guglielmo Risi, Saiyyna Stepanova, Mahsa Nasehi, Celal Bahtiyar, Emmanouil Rousakis, and Lilian Witthauer.

The full article is available open access in Journal of Materials Chemistry B: