The Nanopore-based Ion Selective Electrode Vial

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Project Summary An electrolyte panel is a blood test that measures the levels of electrolytes and carbon dioxide in your blood. Electrolytes are chemicals found naturally in the body, such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and are needed to keep the body's balance of fluids at the proper level and to maintain normal functions, such as heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and brain function. CO2 is a waste product made when the body breaks down food for energy, CO2 helps your blood stay at the right pH. Physicians may order an electrolyte panel as part of a regular health examination, to check on or diagnose a medical condition, and/or assess whether medications are negatively affecting one electrolyte levels. Electrolyte panels are currently typically carried out as laboratory test, where a blood sample is sent out to be characterized via manual ion selective electrodes (ISEs). This process takes a significant amount of time, is cost inefficient, and has issues associated with the fragility and maintenance of manual ISEs. And, while there has been the development of point-of-care or handheld electrolyte panel systems, these current systems have failed to gain widespread use or traction, due to issues with stability, storability, accuracy, and inability to be combined with other assays for comprehensive blood work analyses, i.e. complete blood count (CBC), chemistry (basic metabolic) panel, thyroid panel, nutrient tests for levels of vital nutrients, such as iron or B vitamins, enzyme markers, and STDs. Recently however, Professor Henry S. White at the University of Utah has developed a new nanopore-based ISE technology that solves the predominant issues of conventional ISEs, can be multiplexed to a high degree, can be mass fabricated and can be easily combined with other nanopore-based characterization techniques for complete blood work analyses on a single device. During this Phase 1 STTR program, Electronic BioSciences will develop and expand upon Professor White’s nanopore-based ISE technology, developing a storable, highly stable, rapid, and accurate electrolyte panel POC testing vial. The utility of this device will be demonstrated characterizing electrolyte abnormalities in blood samples from chronic kidney disease patients.