Nanosensor 'tattoo' tracks blood concentrations through iPhone
Researchers have developed an injectable nanotechnology capable of monitoring glucose levels and other molecular concentrations in the blood using a modified iPhone.
Heather A. Clark, associate professor, department of pharmaceutical sciences, Northwestern University, and colleagues, have developed a “tattoo” composed of nanosensors that fluoresce when exposed to specific molecules. The level of fluorescence indicates the amount of sodium or glucose present in the blood, and can be read using an iPhone. The tattoo is not permanent and is invisible to the naked eye.
Clark, who presented her work at the BioMethods Boston conference July 15 at Harvard Medical School, originally designed the technique to skirt finger-prick bloodletting as the method for measuring glucose levels in diabetics, according to an MIT publication.
The tattoo contains 120-nanometer-wide polymer nanodroplets consisting of a fluorescent dye and sensor molecules designed to bind specific chemicals. The molecules are charged to attract target molecules once under the skin. The more molecules in the blood, the more the fluorescence changes, according to an article published by Technology Review.
The modified iPhone reads the tattoo using a filter that fits over the device’s camera and three LEDs that cause the tattoo to fluoresce. Filtering outside illumination, the iPhone can take images which can be used to determine glucose levels. Clark and one of her graduate students, Matthew Dubach, hope to create an iPhone app which can measure and record sodium levels.
The potential isn’t limited to glucose and sodium, Clark noted, as the nanosensors could let patients monitor drug levels currently in their blood, allowing for more accurate dosing. Future possibilities also include measuring dissolved gases in the blood to determine respiratory function, according to the researchers.
Heather A. Clark, associate professor, department of pharmaceutical sciences, Northwestern University, and colleagues, have developed a “tattoo” composed of nanosensors that fluoresce when exposed to specific molecules. The level of fluorescence indicates the amount of sodium or glucose present in the blood, and can be read using an iPhone. The tattoo is not permanent and is invisible to the naked eye.
Clark, who presented her work at the BioMethods Boston conference July 15 at Harvard Medical School, originally designed the technique to skirt finger-prick bloodletting as the method for measuring glucose levels in diabetics, according to an MIT publication.
The tattoo contains 120-nanometer-wide polymer nanodroplets consisting of a fluorescent dye and sensor molecules designed to bind specific chemicals. The molecules are charged to attract target molecules once under the skin. The more molecules in the blood, the more the fluorescence changes, according to an article published by Technology Review.
The modified iPhone reads the tattoo using a filter that fits over the device’s camera and three LEDs that cause the tattoo to fluoresce. Filtering outside illumination, the iPhone can take images which can be used to determine glucose levels. Clark and one of her graduate students, Matthew Dubach, hope to create an iPhone app which can measure and record sodium levels.
The potential isn’t limited to glucose and sodium, Clark noted, as the nanosensors could let patients monitor drug levels currently in their blood, allowing for more accurate dosing. Future possibilities also include measuring dissolved gases in the blood to determine respiratory function, according to the researchers.