Researchers have developed a non-invasive wearable biosensor to track reproductive hormones in sweat in real-time, marking a significant advancement in women's health technology.
🔍 Game-Changer: Imagine a world where we can track essential health indicators as simply as wearing a ring. With the development of this wearable biosensor, the future is now closer than ever. This biosensor can directly monitor estradiol, a reproductive hormone, from sweat. This advancement could fundamentally change our approach to women's health and reproduction.
🌐 The Core of the Work: At the heart of this sensor is a combination of nano-engineering and molecular biology. Utilizing cutting-edge microfluidics, the device captures sweat and analyzes it with specially designed DNA/RNA strands called aptamers that selectively bind to estradiol molecules. This innovative approach offers a glimpse into the future of monitoring personal health parameters, eliminating the need for traditional, more invasive blood tests.
What is an Aptamer: Aptamers are short, single-stranded DNA or RNA sequences that bind to a specific target molecule.
👩🔬 Why It Matters: Women have long relied on invasive methods for reproductive tracking. This sensor not only simplifies the process but does so with remarkable accuracy. By providing women with real-time, detailed information about their reproductive health, it offers significant benefits on the journey to empowerment.
📱 Real-Time and Sharp Data: In tests, this biosensor showed levels of accuracy comparable to traditional blood tests. Moreover, this sensor not only tracks estradiol but also monitors skin temperature and sweat composition, providing accurate readings of hormone levels. These data seamlessly synchronize with smartphones, becoming part of our daily digital routine.
🔬 Future: The research team envisions a future where multiple hormones can be monitored simultaneously. This sensor presents a significant step towards a holistic, non-invasive monitoring system tightly integrated into our vision of personalized medicine.
🔗 Explore the Study in Depth: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-023-01513-0
A schematic and layered design of a flexible and wireless microfluidic wearable for estradiol analysis that provides automatic sweat induction through iontophoresis. Photos of the sensor patch for hormone tracking and a fully integrated wireless wearable patch for the finger. Sections I to VII represent: FPCB (I), inkjet printed sensor array (II), carbachol-loaded hydrogels (carbagels) (III), microfluidic channels (IV), biological recognition interface (V), plastic substrate that interfaces with the sweat accumulation layer (VI), and skin (VII). Scale bars are 1 cm long.
Ultra-compact sensors with high resolution are among the most significant developments paving the way for wearable technologies. Quantum sensors are leading the charge in these technological advancements. One of the finest examples of this development is the unique technology developed by NIQS Tech, one of Hello Tomorrow's Deep Tech Pioneers. The venture, which measures glucose levels in the blood using an optical sensor and innovative sensor materials developed by researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK, serves as a beacon of hope for individuals with diabetes.
Clinical tests have been conducted with the technology developed by NIQS Tech on benchtop experimental setups, achieving an accuracy rate of nearly 80%. They continue to work on elevating this accuracy and transforming the technology into a wearable product through new developments.
Let's also examine the developments at CERN, the center of scientific advancement in Europe, where these quantum technologies are developed.
The Quantum Technology Initiative (QTI) at CERN is ushering in a new era of collaboration between quantum technology and high-energy physics. The recently completed first phase of this effort to build a bridge utilizing the unique skills of CERN’s scientists and engineers was critical in identifying potential areas that could have a significant impact on high-energy physics.
Globe of Science and Innovation, CERN, Switzerland
🪫Creating a quantum technology community within high-energy physics is one of the main successes of CERN's QTI. Scientific and technological advancement, capacity building, and the establishment of joint development bridges between industry and academia were focal points of the strategic roadmap unveiled in 2021. The roadmap highlighted CERN's numerous responsibilities, including quantum theory, computation, sensing, and networking.
The initiative has shown its determination to promote knowledge exchange and technological dissemination by hosting prestigious conferences such as the International Conference on Quantum Technologies for High Energy Physics and the Machine Learning in Quantum Techniques conference.
🇨🇭The CERN Technology Transfer department is making significant progress in integrating the QTI into its business plans. The goal of this department is to ensure that the industry can make the best use of CERN's quantum technology expertise by examining unmet demands in the quantum supply chain. CERN has emphasized its active role in the development of quantum technologies by becoming a member of groups like the European Quantum Industry Consortium.
CERN QTI is a quality example of how effective teamwork and new ideas can be when high-energy physics and quantum technology meet. Its current and future successes and goals highlight its significance as a driving force behind scientific advancement that connects multiple fields and impacts the evolution of quantum technologies in high-energy physics and beyond.
CERN also provides support to both its staff and industry experts in the commercialization of these technologies. Actively encouraging the formation of spin-off companies by providing comprehensive support to entrepreneurs aiming to establish businesses based on CERN technologies and expertise, while emphasizing the importance of intellectual property, it has established Business Development Centers to support entrepreneurs with ideas related to CERN’s fields in member states, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for technology transfer and entrepreneurship development.
Join us on February 22 at the Hello Tomorrow Turkey Summit at DasDas stage to listen to the keynote speech titled "Accelerating groundbreaking innovations with deep tech entrepreneurship and maximizing CERN's positive impact on society" by Ash Ravikumar, who serves as the Entrepreneurship Development Officer at CERN! https://hello-tomorrow.org.tr/hello-tomorrow-turkiye-summit
Additional Resources:
Prof. Can Dinçer's article "End-to-end Design of Wearable Sensors": https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-022-00460-x
CERN technologies in the health world:
