This special issue assembles 6 review articles and 2 research articles, providing a comprehensive summary of the latest development on novel semiconductor-biochemical sensors. Liang et al. have comprehensively introduced the synthesis and biofunctionalization of quantum dots (QDs), a variety of methods based on QDs for virus detection as well as the prospects and challenges of QDs-based sensors for viral nucleic acid detection and immunoassays^[1]. Strategies such as reducing the biotoxicity of QDs, enabling high-scale QDs preparation, and incorporating the nucleic acid free-extraction method are promising to satisfy the demand for virus detection in times of pandemics. Zhenget al. summarized the advances of semiconductor biosensors based on graphene, carbon nanotube and silicon nanowire for detection of viral zoonoses^[2]. They focused on the working principles, design directions and application prospects of the biosensors. For increasing complex epidemic conditions of viral zoonoses, the development of the sensors tended to develop new materials and integrate multiple technologies to achieve shorter detection times and higher detection sensitivity and specificity. Liuet al. summarized the limitations and challenges of traditional methods in detecting early viral diseases and highlight a review of current developments in the detection of viral diseases in salmonids^[3]. Moreover, they described the material properties, working principles, and application prospects of the nucleic acid test-based semiconductor biosensors suitable forin situ detection of salmonid diseases. Heet al. reviewed advanced biosensors for monitoring pests and diseases, including image-based technology, electronic noses and wearable sensors^[4]. They pointed out that the future trend of the field is to improve plant health management and crop production efficiency by integrating various technologies through interdisciplinary cooperation. Wanget al. discussed the theoretical analysis of microcantilever-based biochemical sensors and their applications in gaseous and aqueous environments^[5]. They concluded that the sensors had the advantages of high sensitivity, fast response and small size. However, the anti-interference capability of the sensors depends on the signal amplification technique, and it is difficult to miniturize the optical lever setup, which repectively limit the application scenarios and the portability. The combination of the technologies with AI will explore more potential applications. Shiet al. reviewed recent advances in textile-based sweat sensors, including the mechanisms of biosensors, fabrication of textile conductors, system integration, and applications^[6]. They discuss two strategies toward high-performance wearable textile-based biosensors and the challenges of textile-based sweat sensing devices in terms of reusability, stability, and reproducibility. Caoet al. developed an antibody-modified graphene transistor for ultrasensitive minute-level detection of methamphetamine (Met) in complex environments^[7]. The anti-Met probes capture the targets thus leading to a p-doping effect near the graphene channel. The limit of detection reaches 50 aM (5.0 × 10⁻¹⁷ M) Met in solution, which demonstrates its effectiveness in preventing drug abuse. Yanget al. designed a very large-scale biomedical sensing application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with a 640 × 640 ion sensitive field effect transistor (ISFET) array^[8]. The chip was applied to monitor the dynamic processes of fluid flow through ion imaging and pH changes generated by CaSki cell metabolism. This platform has the potential for continuous and parallel monitoring of cell metabolism in single cell culture.

We sincerely hope this special issue could provide the meaningful and profound review and perspective on the field of semiconductor-biochemical sensors. We would like to thank all the authors for their outstanding contributions to this special issue. We are also grateful to the editorial and production staff of the Journal of Semiconductors for their kind assistance.

Since 2020, the global outbreak and continued evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought the concepts of nucleic acid, antigen-antibody, gene sequencing, and other biochemical testing into ordinary families. In this regard, novel semiconductor-biochemical sensors that convert biochemical information into monitorable electrical and optical signals according to specific rules have become increasingly important and indispensable. These sensors deeply fuse the technical advantages of semiconductors and biochemistry, integrating interdisciplinary subjects such as molecular biology, nanomaterials, microfluidics, artificial intelligence (AI), etc. With the advantages of fast speed, high sensitivity, high integration, easy mass manufacturing, the novel technologies are the "pioneer" of biomedical information acquisition and the "heart" of modern medical diagnostic equipment. Currently, the technologies are showing a spurt of development, with new products emerging, new functions being developed, and new application scenarios being expanded. The research hotspots cover a wide range, including immediate detection, non-invasive analysis, wearable devices, on-site monitoring, etc. This issue looks at the latest advances in the novel technologies for physiological dynamic monitoring of animals/plants and rapid detection of highly pathogenic pathogens, while covering applications in agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, biosecurity, and wearable medicine.