Toward intelligent hormonal diagnostics: Quantum dots reshaping endocrine disease detection

Endocrine disorders necessitate diagnostic platforms capable of detecting rapid, low-abundance, fluctuating hormonal signals with high precision. Quantum dot (QD) technology has revolutionized this field by enabling multiplexed, ultrasensitive, and real-time biochemical profiling. Unlike traditional immunoassays limited to single-analyte detection and signal decay, QDs offer exceptional photostability, quantum-level sensitivity, and tunable emission, allowing simultaneous monitoring of various hormonal biomarkers related to thyroid, pancreatic, adrenal, and reproductive dysfunctions. Recent advancements have combined QDs with AI-assisted signal decoding, microfluidics, and wearable biosensor interfaces, creating intelligent systems capable of predicting trends rather than providing static measurements. Functionalized QDs engineered with aptameric, peptidic, or antibody-based recognition domains have shown promising diagnostic capabilities for insulin, estradiol, and thyroid hormones in complex biological samples. As biocompatible QD formulations continue to evolve, their integration with digital health platforms positions them as the next frontier in continuous endocrine monitoring, early disease detection, and personalized hormonal medicine. This review highlights key technological advancements, translational hurdles, and future directions necessary to propel QD-enabled endocrine diagnostics from the laboratory to clinical practice.