Monitoring biomolecule concentrations in tissue using a wearable droplet microfluidic-based sensor

Nat Commun. 2019 Jun 21;10(1):2741. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10401-y.

Abstract

Knowing how biomarker levels vary within biological fluids over time can produce valuable insight into tissue physiology and pathology, and could inform personalised clinical treatment. We describe here a wearable sensor for monitoring biomolecule levels that combines continuous fluid sampling with in situ analysis using wet-chemical assays (with the specific assay interchangeable depending on the target biomolecule). The microfluidic device employs a droplet flow regime to maximise the temporal response of the device, using a screw-driven push-pull peristaltic micropump to robustly produce nanolitre-sized droplets. The fully integrated sensor is contained within a small (palm-sized) footprint, is fully autonomous, and features high measurement frequency (a measurement every few seconds) meaning deviations from steady-state levels are quickly detected. We demonstrate how the sensor can track perturbed glucose and lactate levels in dermal tissue with results in close agreement with standard off-line analysis and consistent with changes in peripheral blood levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Equipment Design
  • Glucose / analysis
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Humans
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices*
  • Lactic Acid / analysis
  • Microdialysis / instrumentation
  • Microdialysis / methods
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / methods
  • Point-of-Care Systems*
  • Skin / chemistry*
  • Wearable Electronic Devices*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Lactic Acid
  • Glucose