Modular Nanosensing Platforms for Tuberculosis and Beyond: Engineering Biomaterials Toward Cross‐Pathogen Diagnostic Universality

ABSTRACT Tuberculosis (TB) infects one‐quarter of the global population and remains a global health crisis, with persistent diagnostic gaps in sensitivity, speed, and accessibility. Nanobiosensors leverage the unique optical, electrical, and magnetic properties of nanomaterials to enhance signal capture and transduction. Meanwhile, functionalized nanointerfaces reduce interference, enabling portable, multiplexed point‐of‐care testing (POCT). However, existing platforms are predominantly pathogen‐specific, leading to fragmented disease management amidst rising co‐infections and antimicrobial resistance. This review introduces a paradigm shift toward modular nanosensing platforms designed for cross‐pathogen diagnostic universality. We discuss the engineering principles that unify reconfigurable core nanomaterial scaffolds, plug‐and‐play biorecognition elements, hierarchical signal amplifiers, and universal sample processors. The plug‐and‐play approach transforms fragmented, pathogen‐specific assays into a cohesive diagnostic platform, facilitating equitable deployment in resource‐constrained settings. These platforms dynamically adapt to diverse pathogens, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb ) to viruses, fungi, and parasites, enabling ultrasensitive detection in complex matrices. By integrating recognition, transduction, and processing, reconfigurable systems offer rapid, low‐cost, field‐deployable diagnostics. Modular nanosensors utilize functionalized interfaces to amplify trace biomarker capture, reduce interference, and enable multiplexing, advancing high‐sensitivity, low‐cost infectious disease diagnostics. It charts a roadmap toward equitable global health against antimicrobial resistance, addressing fragmentation to tackle co‐infections and emerging pandemics in resource‐limited settings.