By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
A team of researchers from the MMNE Lab at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, has developed a nano-engineered fiber-optic sensor capable of rapidly and accurately detecting L-tyrosine—a molecule vital for brain health, hormone regulation, and neurological balance.
L-tyrosine is an amino acid essential for the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine, as well as hormones like thyroxine. Abnormal levels of L-tyrosine have been linked to Parkinson’s disease, thyroid disorders, and mood imbalances, according to an official release issued on Monday.
The newly developed sensor presents a portable, low-cost, and reliable alternative to traditional detection methods. Researchers employed molecular imprinting, a technique that creates “molecular locks” shaped precisely like L-tyrosine. These imprints are embedded on a U-shaped optical fiber, which monitors light signals to detect when L-tyrosine binds.
The sensor is highly sensitive—capable of detecting as little as 0.36 micromoles of L-tyrosine. It remains unaffected by similar biomolecules such as glucose or dopamine, maintains accuracy for up to 15 days, and continues to function after multiple washes. In tests using human blood and serum, it achieved 99–104% accuracy and has been successfully integrated with a handheld optical device for point-of-care use.
This innovation could revolutionise neurological and hormonal health monitoring by enabling fast, bedside detection of L-tyrosine imbalances—potentially signalling early stages of disorders like Parkinson’s or thyroid dysfunction. The sensor’s material can also be modified to detect other molecules, such as dopamine.
Beyond healthcare, the device holds promise for applications in food safety testing and environmental monitoring, broadening its impact across multiple sectors. “We’ve built a platform that is not only highly accurate but also portable and affordable. It opens the door to accessible healthcare solutions for communities everywhere,” said lead investigator and senior IEEE member Sanket Goel.
Co-author and Director of BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus Soumyo Mukherji called the research “a fine example of how advanced materials and engineering can come together to address global healthcare challenges.” First author K. Ramya added: “Our goal was to design a simple yet powerful tool that can directly impact people’s lives.”
The team plans to expand the technology to detect other critical biomolecules, laying the foundation for a new generation of low-cost, real-time diagnostic devices. This innovation was published in ‘IEEE Transactions on instrumentation and measurement’, the release added.
