A skin-interfaced stretchable sensor for solid-phase epidermal biomarkers

• Main Author: Arwani, Ruth Theresia
• Other Authors: Chen Xiaodong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2022
• Subjects: Engineering::Materials
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/163341
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Solid-phase epidermal analytes, i.e., cholesterol and lactate, can be used as sensitive biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring of chronic diseases, such as hyperlipoproteinemia, coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular diseases. However, they are underexplored due to the complicated human skin sample collection process and the use of highly sophisticated instruments like Mass Spectrometry (MS) or High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for analysis, which is costly, has a long waiting period, non-continuous, and difficult to miniaturize. To address those daunting challenges, we developed a wearable electronics technology platform that in situ and continuously senses solid-phase epidermal biomarkers, thus eliminating the need for venipuncture, sweat induction or physical exercise, which are necessary for sampling biomarkers in blood or sweat. The key innovation of this novel sensing system is the solvation-diffusion layer, which allows the dissolution of biomarkers into the hydrogel matrix, diffusion of analytes through the matrix, and electrochemical quantification of solid-phase biomolecules at the hydrogel-enzyme interface. The stretchable wearable patch can continuously collect and wirelessly transmit actionable biochemical signals, which is of great importance for remote patient monitoring, digital medicine, and telehealth, and have the potential to partially replace the costly and invasive blood test for screening and monitoring of chronic diseases.