The ability to monitor the level of key biomarkers in human breast milk holds considerable potential to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. In particular, enabling the early diagnosis of conditions such as low milk production during lactation in women. Porous silicon (pSi) represents a promising sensor material owing to its tunable properties, large specific surface area, and intrinsic biocompatibility. Here, we report the design, fabrication, and characterization of two pSi-based electrochemical biosensing approaches as proof-of-concept platforms for the detection of clinically relevant biomarkers in breast milk. The first system is an aptamer-based sensor for insulin detection, while the second design consists of oligonucleotide-functionalized sensors for the detection of two microRNAs. The aptasensor exhibited specific insulin detection ability, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 8.7 pM and demonstrating good sensing performance and stability. The oligonucleotide-based sensors showed strong selectivity and good sensitivity for their respective microRNA targets, with LOD values in the picomolar range (60 and 70 pM). Furthermore, both biosensor designs confirmed their capability to detect insulin and miRNAs spiked into human breast milk samples collected from healthy volunteers. These findings establish a foundation for the development of pSi-based biosensors aimed at breast milk profiling, offering new opportunities for maternal and infant health monitoring and lactation management.
Sánchez‐Salcedo et al. (2026) studied this question.