I-Corps: Cortisense - A point of care sensor for measurement of stress

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Currently, stress-related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are diagnosed and monitored clinically. A diagnostic aid that can provide a quantitative correlation for both diagnosis and efficacy of treatment is sorely needed. This team has developed a technology that will facilitate point-of-care monitoring of cortisol, the key stress biomarker, by measuring its levels in body fluids. The proposed technology promises to advance the level of health care for military patients with PTSD. It also has the potential to reach other market segments, such as farm workers and fire fighters, who might also benefit from alternative treatments to stress-induced conditions based on the near real-time measurement of cortisol concentrations in saliva.The proposed cortisol sensing technology is a transformative technology that enables monitoring of stress levels non-invasively using a nanoengineered biochip and a handheld measurement unit. The nanoengineered biochip is both low cost and disposable. The proposed technology will enable quantitative correlations to observed medical conditions and help improve the efficacy of treatment through monitoring of the stress hormone cortisol as the patient continues to be in the care of the doctors. This portable sensor accurately measures cortisol levels, a known indicator of stress in 30 minutes. The accuracy of the sensor would lead to a new class of tests that would provide quantitative information for difficult to diagnose diseases like PTSD, while significantly reducing the time to diagnosis.