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Binghamton University researchers have developed a groundbreaking paper-based biosensor system that could transform diabetes management by enabling painless, sweat-based glucose monitoring. This innovation, which eliminates the need for painful blood draws, could make daily glucose tracking easier and more accessible for millions of people living with diabetes.
The research team, led by Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi, Assistant Professor Anwar Elhadad, Ph.D., and Ph.D. student Yang “Lexi” Gao from the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science, has developed the biosensor by harnessing the power of Bacillus subtilis bacterial spores. These spores germinate in response to glucose in potassium-rich bodily fluids like sweat. The amount of power generated during this reaction is used to determine the glucose level, providing a non-invasive and continuous monitoring option.
The team’s paper, recently published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering, presents a self-replicating, long-lasting solution to glucose monitoring, overcoming the limitations of traditional enzymatic systems. Unlike enzymatic glucose sensors, which often require refrigeration and degrade over time, the bacterial spores used in the new system are stable at room temperature and can be stored for extended periods.
“The problem with using enzymes is that they denature and deactivate,” explained Professor Choi. “Our spore-based system can endure harsh environments and only activates when the right conditions are met, making it a more reliable and sustainable option.”
This new system builds on the knowledge gained by Choi’s Bioelectronics and Microsystems Lab over the past 15 years in the development of biobatteries. The project represents a significant leap forward in both biosensing and energy harvesting technologies.
For Gao, this publication marks her ninth since arriving at Binghamton University in 2021, during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally from China, Gao was drawn to the school for its cutting-edge research in “papertronics” and bioelectronics, aligning with her background in marine chemistry. Her previous work includes projects integrating biobatteries into 3D-printed circuits and developing devices that generate moisture from the air, as well as self-powered mechanical bugs for ocean data collection.
“I want to do research that makes the world better—it’s a big vision,” said Gao. “The energy crisis is a major problem right now, and the fact that we can use bacteria to generate power is both clean and sustainable. It’s also cheap and easy to make because the devices are paper-based and disposable.”
The research team is not stopping here. Despite the breakthrough, challenges remain in perfecting the glucose detection process. Individual variations in potassium concentrations in sweat could affect the sensor’s accuracy, and the sensitivity of the system is currently lower than that of conventional enzymatic sensors. However, Choi is confident that this innovative paper-based system has the potential to revolutionize the way glucose levels are monitored.
“From this work, we have created a new sensing mechanism to detect glucose that no one has done before,” Choi noted. “While there are still challenges to address, the future of this research looks promising.”
This research, titled “Revolutionary self-powered transducing mechanism for long-lasting and stable glucose monitoring: achieving selective and sensitive bacterial endospore germination in microengineered paper-based platforms,” was published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering in 2024. As the team continues refining the technology, their vision is to create an affordable, sustainable, and user-friendly tool for managing diabetes with ease.
For more information, visit Microsystems & Nanoengineering or refer to the journal publication (DOI: 10.1038/s41378-024-00836-9).
