A graphene nanomesh based charge sensor and method for producing a graphene nanomesh based charge sensor. The method includes generating multiple holes in graphene to create a graphene nanomesh with a patterned array of multiple holes; passivating an edge of each of the multiple holes of the graphene nanomesh to allow for functionalization of the graphene nanomesh; and functionalizing the passivated edge of each of the multiple holes of the graphene nanomesh with a chemical compound that facilitates chemical binding of a receptor of a target molecule to the edge of one or more of the multiple holes, wherein the receptor is a molecule that chemically binds to the target molecule, irrespective of the size of the target molecule.