Archive · 1 Sep 2026
BITS Pilani Researchers Develop Portable Sensor for Progesterone Testing
Progesterone is a hormone that helps doctors study ovulation, fertility and pregnancy.
Researchers at BITS Pilani made a small sensor that can detect this hormone.
The sensor uses electricity to identify progesterone instead of special biological materials such as antibodies or enzymes.
This could eventually make hormone testing easier and more portable.
In laboratory tests, it measured known amounts of progesterone in diluted human serum accurately.
Other hormones did not interfere much with its readings.
The sensor kept about 90% to 91% of its original response after seven days.
However, it still needs testing with real patient samples and comparison with established laboratory tests.
Researchers at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus developed a compact sensor for detecting progesterone.
The device uses multi-walled carbon nanotubes, 1-methylimidazole and a screen-printed electrode instead of antibodies or enzymes.
It measures progesterone concentrations from 50 to 200 nanomolar and has a detection limit of 13.3 nanomolar.
Tests using diluted human serum produced recovery values between 98% and 101.6%, with limited interference from other hormones.
The results are preliminary; the sensor has not yet been clinically tested on untreated patient samples or compared with standard laboratory methods.
- Who
- Researchers Suhaib Imtiyaz, Dr Khairunnisa Amreen and Prof. Sanket Goel at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus.
- What
- They developed a compact electrochemical sensor for detecting progesterone.
- Where
- The MEMS, Microfluidics and Nanoelectronics Lab at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus.
- Why
- To make progesterone testing simpler, less expensive, easier to produce and potentially suitable for portable point-of-care reproductive healthcare devices.
- Detection range
- 50 to 200 nanomolar progesterone
- Detection limit
- 13.3 nanomolar
- Serum recovery
- 98% to 101.6% in diluted human serum tests
- Seven-day stability
- About 90% to 91% of the initial response was retained
- Detection method
- Electrical signal from a screen-printed electrode
- Materials
- Multi-walled carbon nanotubes and 1-methylimidazole
- Current status
- Preliminary results; no clinical testing on untreated patient samples has been reported