Electrochemical Biosensing for Hormonal Detection

Electrochemical biosensing has emerged as a pivotal strategy in the precise measurement of endocrine markers, leveraging the direct coupling of biochemical recognition events with electrochemical transduction. By integrating biological recognition elements—such as antibodies, aptamers or enzymes—with conductive electrodes, these sensors convert minute hormonal concentrations into quantifiable electrical signals. Recent innovations focus on nanostructured materials, including metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional materials, to amplify surface area and electron-transfer kinetics. Such enhancements have enabled the detection of steroid hormones, peptide biomarkers and glycoproteins at clinically relevant levels, facilitating applications ranging from fertility monitoring and personalised medicine to environmental surveillance of endocrine disruptors. The adaptability to portable and disposable formats underpins the global transition towards point-of-care diagnostics and decentralised testing, particularly in low-resource settings where rapid, low-cost hormone assays can inform timely clinical decisions and public health interventions.

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Electrochemical Biosensing for Hormonal Detection publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical biosensing for hormonal detection across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electrochemical biosensor: A device that combines a biological recognition element with an electrode transducer to convert a biochemical event into an electrical signal.

Voltammetry: An electrochemical technique where measurement of current as a function of applied potential allows quantification of analytes based on redox behaviour.

Aptamer: A short strand of nucleic acid selected for high-affinity binding to a specific target molecule, used as a recognition element in sensors.

Screen-printed electrode: A mass-produced planar electrode created by printing conductive inks onto a substrate, commonly used for disposable sensors.

Nanostructured electrode: An electrode surface engineered at the nanoscale (e.g., nanoparticles or nanotubes) to increase active surface area and improve electron transfer.

References

1. Nanostructured Bismuth Film Electrode for Detection of Progesterone. Sensors (2018).
2. Electrochemically Pretreated Sensor Based on Screen-Printed Carbon Modified with Pb Nanoparticles for Determination of Testosterone. Materials (2022).
3. Progesterone and β-hCG Determination Using an Electrochemical Combo-Strip for Pregnancy Monitoring. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).