Researchers at the Indian Banaras Hindu University (BHU) designed a sensitive and specific graphene oxide-based electrochemical biosensor for detection of specific micro-particles in blood samples and predict the risk of heart attack or brain stroke.

The scientists explain that certain processes that take place in the body prior to brain stroke or cardiac arrest cause the release of microparticles to the blood, which can be detected by the sensor to predict an imminent stroke or heart attack.

The biosensor was prepared by coating a glassy carbon electrode with graphene oxide and antibodies (PAC1) that bind to specific proteins on the surface of microparticles. The biosensor selectively detects the microparticles when exposed to plasma containing platelet-derived microparticles (PMPs) and tiny vesicles from non-platelet sources. 

The researchers state that they were able to use the biosensor to detect the presence of PMPs in blood samples of patients suffering from myocardial infarction, and that the detection is extremely quick, does not require expensive tools, easy to perform and can be applied on spot or even by patient himself. The scientists believe that biosensing will prove highly expedient at the peripheral health care level as a screening method to identify individuals at high risk to develop coronary artery diseases. A patent was already applied for this sensor.