Gimhae, South Korea | March 2025 — A cutting-edge biosensor developed by researchers at Inje University promises to revolutionize the diagnosis and monitoring of Parkinson’s disease by detecting dopamine levels with unprecedented accuracy and ease. This innovation, detailed in a recent study (Biosensors & Bioelectronics), could transform healthcare access for remote populations and accelerate early intervention strategies.
The portable biosensor utilizes screen-printed electrodes modified with Dicopper-coordinated Poly-Histidine nanostructures for the detection of dopamine and can be operated directly from a cellphone.
Dopamine, a neurotransmitter regulating mood, cognition, and movement, is closely linked to neurological disorders like Parkinson’s. Traditional detection methods, such as ELISA and HPLC, require complex lab equipment, trained personnel, and processed samples, limiting their utility in low-resource settings. A breakthrough study from Inje University, Korea has introduced a novel biosensor capable of detecting dopamine levels with high precision, offering a potential game -changer in early disease diagnosis.
- “If you can develop a very sensitive yet simple-to-use portable detector that can identify a wide range of dopamine concentrations, it could greatly aid in health monitoring,” said Professor Yonggen Hong, the study’s corresponding author.
Leveraging the dopamine detection technology using nanostructure-based digital signaling techniques that can be applied directly to track neuronal cell's secretion of dopamine. Credit: Biological Clock & Aging Control Laboratory, Inje University.
The research team’s breakthrough lies in a dual-mode nanozyme sensor that mimics the activity of two enzymes (laccase and catechol oxidase). By electrodepositing Dicopper-infused Poly-Histidine onto screen-printed electrodes, the device detects dopamine through both electrochemical signals and color changes. Key advantages include:
- Ultra-Sensitivity: Detects dopamine at concentrations as low as 2.8 nM (electrochemical) and 0.204 μM (colorimetric).
- Portability: Integrates with a smartphone app that analyzes color changes via RGB values from images, enabling onthe-spot testing
- Cost-Effectiveness: Uses affordable, scalable manufacturing techniques, bypassing the need for expensive antibodies or lab infrastructure
Tested successfully in unprocessed blood and neuronal cell samples, the biosensor offers rapid results without specialized training. “This could democratize access to diagnostics in rural or underserved areas,” said Professor Hong, the study’s corresponding author.
It also opens doors for continuous health monitoring—future iterations may include wearable devices tracking dopamine in sweat or multiplex systems detecting multiple biomarkers simultaneously.
As Parkinson’s affects millions globally, this innovation marks a critical step toward accessible, early diagnosis—and a brighter future for neurological care.
This research was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2020R1A2C201215511) and the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea.
For more information: Rajesh Madhuvilakku, Hong Jin Choi, Ok Chan Jeong, Yonggeun Hong* , Nanozyme film with dicopper-coordinated amino-ligands: A dual enzyme-mimic for realtime in situ dopamine sensing in human neuroblastoma cells”, Biosens. Bioelectron. 2025. Accessible at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2025.117375