Achievement

IGERT trainee, Kate Balconis has designed fluorescent glucose-sensitive nanosensors to monitor glucose levels non-invasively through the skin. A minimally-invasive injection device places these nanosensors in the upper layers of the skin similar to a tattoo. Then a handheld optical reader or smart phone device reads the fluorescence intensity of the sensors and provide glucose measurement for the user. The sensing technology is based off of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) which have been utilized to detect and monitor physiological analytes in clinical settings. . It has been demonstrated that the sensors monitor dynamic changes in glucose concentrations, could be tailored to respond within physiological range, and tracks changes in glucose concentrations in vivo.