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Biosensor systems are man-made operational mimics of nature's design and efficiency. They are hybrid constructs consisting of biomolecules, transducers and instrument components, designed to specifically detect and identify substances that are relevant for diagnosis or process surveillance. The Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) fosters biosensor-system applications for the detection of constituents and additives in food, and for prognostic or diagnostic identification of drugs and metabolites. Instruments and biosensor platforms are developed on the basis of advanced detection principles. Optical and electrochemical platforms are improved in efficiency and value through assay-specific surface bioengineering. Device miniaturization and large-scale manufacturability, combined with instrumental simplicity are adopted properties of CSEM's application-specific biosensor systems. Major current biosensor developments include the detection of infectious prion proteins in livestock and antibiotics in milk.