Between 1999 and 2015, German biosensor researchers met regularly in odd years in order to exchange ideas, results and concepts, and stimulate interactions among the different research groups. The conference series was intended to encourage young researchers to take part in the German biosensor community and present their results. In addition, companies were invited to present new products during the exhibition held in parallel to the conference.

The scientific scope was rather broad and included all transduction methods and recognition elements (enzyme and affinity sensors, imaging sensors, biomimetica, bioinspired systems, electrochemistry, optics, mass and temperature sensitive devices, effect monitoring, etc.), but also material biosensors.), but also materials (immobilisation layers, polymers, photonic crystals, nanomaterials, etc.) and different fields of application (companion diagnostics, medical monitoring, therapeutic microarrays, in-vivo detection, process analysis, environmental detection, intracellular analysis, etc.). Furthermore, contributions from neighbouring areas of science were invited (e.g. bioelectronics, biofuel cells, microfluidics).

The DBS series started and ended in Munich. Peter Luppa from Munich organised the first DBS. Based on a proposal by Günter Gauglitz, the DBS focus was on contributions from young scientists. During a Bioelectrochemistry conference in Malmö in 2015, Frieder Scheller suggested an expansion of the conference series from its national to a European level, while continuing its proven, successful concept. After approval by the DBS committee, the European Biosensor Symposium (EBS) came into being, with the first conference being organised in Potsdam, Germany, in 2017.

• The conference was held in Potsdam, Germany.
  • 1st DBS: Munich, 1999 (Chair: P. Luppa)
  • 2nd DBS: Tübingen, 2001 (Chair: G. Gauglitz)
  • 3rd DBS: Potsdam, 2003 (Chair: F. Scheller)
  (Chair: F. Scheller). Scheller)
  • 4th DBS: Regensburg, 2005 (Chair: O. Wolfbeis)
  • 5th DBS: Bochum, 2007 (Chair: W. Schuhmann)
  • 6th DBS: Freiburg, 2009 (Chair: G. Urban)
  • 7th DBS: Bad Heiligenstadt, 2011 (Chair: D. Beckmann)
  • 8th DBS: Wildau, 2013 (Chair: F. Lisdat)
  • 9th DBS: Munich, 2015 (Chair: P. Luppa)
  • 10th DBS/1st EBS: Potsdam, 2017 (Chairs: U. Wollenberger, F. Bier)