Low-cost flexible biosensor for early heart attack detection developed by BITS–RMIT Univ

A flexible, low-cost biosensor capable of detecting myoglobin — a key cardiac biomarker associated with the early stages of a heart attack — has been developed by a joint doctoral researcher, Mohsina Afrooz, at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani–Hyderabad and RMIT University, Australia, according to researchers on Tuesday (February 3, 2026).

The graphene-based sensor enables rapid detection of myoglobin, a protein released into the bloodstream shortly after cardiac muscle injury. Early detection of this biomarker is clinically significant, as it allows physicians to identify cardiac events much sooner than many conventional diagnostic methods.

Lightweight and economical

Unlike traditional laboratory tests, which are often expensive, time-consuming, and dependent on sophisticated infrastructure, the newly developed sensor is lightweight, flexible, and economical — making it well suited for portable and point-of-care testing. An Indian patent was filed based on this work, highlighting its translational potential, said lead investigator, Sanket Goel.

“The Indo-Australian collaboration focuses on translating advanced sensing technologies into affordable cardiac diagnostics. Our goal is to make early heart attack detection accessible, not just accurate,” he said. Associate investigator, Sayan Das added, “Early detection saves lives only when it is affordable and deployable at scale.”

Could be impactful in rural hospitals

The technology could be particularly impactful in rural hospitals, emergency care settings, and low-resource healthcare facilities, where access to advanced diagnostic equipment is limited. “It aims to make heart diagnostics faster, simpler, and more accessible to everyone,” said Ms. Mohsina Afrooz.

The research is a collaborative effort between the MMNE Laboratory at BITS Pilani–Hyderabad Campus and the Centre for Opto-Electronic Materials and Sensors (COMAS) at RMIT University, bringing together expertise in advanced materials, biosensing, and biomedical engineering. The findings were published in the internationally reputed journal IEEE Sensors Letters.