Research

Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) are revolutionizing the way that patients with diabetes manage their condition. However, these systems are typically bulky, expensive and require calibration, meaning adoption is low. To promote wider adoption, CGMs must be accurate and stable, but also small, painless, and easy to use.

Leveraging the non-enzymatic sensors that have been developed in our lab for optical glucose sensing, we are developing similar non-enzymatic sensors based off electrical conductivity measurements in solution, for eventual applications in wearable and implantable glucose monitors. Specifically, we have synthesized new molecules which bind glucose and change charge at neutral pH. Thus conductivity in the solution can be changed once the molecules bind with glucose. Importantly, the reaction is reversible, and  depends on the pKa of the molecules.

Bipolar electrode micropump using flexible, micron-thin film