HYDROGEL-BASED ADVANCED BIOSENSORS FOR IN SITU HEALTH MONITORING

2024

CONSELLERIA DE EDUCACION, UNIVERSIDADES Y EMPLEO

INV. COMPETITIVA PROYECTOS

Bañuls Polo María José

Wearable biosensors are revolutionizing medical diagnostics and continuous health monitoring by shifting the paradigm from centralized care systems to personalized, home-based healthcare. This transition promises to enable precise clinical decisions and enhance overall health outcomes while optimizing resource allocation. Leveraging our expertise in biofunctionalization, biosensing, and transduction, we aim to develop hydrogel-based wearable optical biosensors (HWOB). The sensing mechanism relies on creating slide-ring hydrogels combined with probes that undergo a substantial volume change upon recognition events. This process will consequently lead to different diffractive properties, enabling highly sensitive detection. These innovative sensors are designed for sweat and interstitial fluid sampling and their automated miniaturized analysis. By integrating microneedles, hydrogel-based support, specific reagents, holographic techniques, and optical detection, we aim to create a cohesive and reliable solution materialized in skin patch biosensors. This ambitious project envisions three pivotal scenarios where innovative biosensors can profoundly improve current methodologies. Our focus spans monitoring biomarkers associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, facilitating drug allergy tests, and demonstrating unobtrusive detection of circulating biomarkers. Developing these wearable biosensors has a relevant impact on redefining healthcare approaches, enhancing diagnostic precision, and fostering a more efficient and proactive healthcare system.