Molecularly imprinted polymers: The next generation

Creating tailor-made receptors capable of recognizing and binding molecular targets with a high degree of affinity and selectivity has been a long-term dream of researchers-and the dreaming continues. Although work on MIPs has produced some impressive results, Karsten Haupt of the University of Technology, Compiegne (France) describes the progress and the challenges still to be met in imprinting techniques, creating large and small structures, and imprinting at surfaces.