A Chronically Implantable Microsensor Array for Monitoring Biomarkers Relevant to

描述（由申请人提供）：肥胖是美国最流行和增长的疾病之一。流行的体重控制方法，如运动计划或低碳水化合物饮食，都未能阻止美国肥胖症的流行。当能量摄入持续长期超过能量消耗时，肥胖就会发生，只有当个体做出纠正这种能量不平衡的行为改变时才会解决。这种行为变化未能发生的一个原因是，目前很难在典型的日常生活条件下监测行为变化对能量平衡的各种成分的影响。因此，我们建议开发一种植入式微传感器阵列，可用于方便地监测与碳水化合物和脂肪利用相关的生物标志物，而不干扰日常生活活动。脂肪和碳水化合物是人体的两种主要燃料来源，它们的相对利用率取决于年龄、饮食、运动强度和健身水平等因素。所提出的传感器阵列可用于在休息和运动期间连续监测体内葡萄糖、pH和pCO 2/碳酸氢盐的全身水平。我们假设，这样的传感器将是足够敏感的，以检测在短期和长期的基础上饮食脂肪消耗的大幅增加（或减少）。在拟议的工作中，我们将开发，制造和测试基于智能水凝胶和微机械压力传感器的可植入传感器平台，该平台将连续测量葡萄糖，pH值和CO2，具有长期稳定性和生物相容性。所提出的平衡传感器阵列将由四个水凝胶组成，在独立的微腔中，通过与葡萄糖、CO2的浓度和pH成比例地溶胀来响应，第四个水凝胶充当参考。压力传感器可以捕捉到水凝胶在密闭威尔斯井中体积增加的趋势。该项目将在三个具体目标中完成。第一个重点是水凝胶的开发和长期测试。第二个具体目标侧重于开发SiC平台，第三个具体目标侧重于生物相容性涂层测试和长期体外测试。该项目将由实现目标所需领域的专家小组非常勤奋地进行。 该项目旨在开发一种植入式微传感器，以长期持续监测人体的新陈代谢。一个人可以通过一个小的门诊手术植入这样的传感器，它不会妨碍日常活动。这样的传感器将花费30至50美元，并大大有利于人们对抗肥胖和试图恢复能量平衡。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Obesity is one of the most popular and growing diseases in America. Popular approaches to weight control such as exercise plans or low carbohydrate diets have failed to halt the American obesity epidemic. Obesity occurs when there is a persistent long-term excess in energy intake over energy expenditure, and will only be resolved when the individual makes behavioral changes that correct this energy imbalance. One reason that such behavioral changes fail to occur is that it is currently very difficult to monitor the effects of behavioral changes on the various components of energy balance under typical daily life conditions. Hence we propose the development of an implantable microsensor array that could be used to conveniently monitor biomarkers relevant to carbohydrate and fat utilization without interfering with daily life activities. Fats and carbohydrates are the body's two major sources of fuel, and their relative rates of utilization depend on factors such as age, diet, exercise intensity, and fitness level. The proposed sensor array could be used to continuously monitor systemic levels of glucose, pH, and pCO2/bicarbonate in the body both at rest and during exercise. We hypothesize that such a sensor will be sensitive enough to detect substantial increases (or decreases) in dietary fat consumption both on short term and also long term basis. In the proposed work we will develop, fabricate, and test an implantable sensor platform based on smart hydrogels and micromachined pressure sensors that would continuously measure glucose, pH, and CO2 with high long term stability and biocompatibility. The proposed equilibrium sensor array will consist of four hydrogels, in independent microcavities, that respond by swelling proportionally to the concentrations of glucose, CO2 and to the pH, the fourth hydrogel acts as a reference. The tendency of hydrogels to increase in volume in confined wells is captured by the pressure transducers. This project will be accomplished in three specific aims. The first one focuses on development and long term testing of hydrogels. Second specific aim focuses on developing the SiC platform and the third specific aim on biocompatibility coating tests and long term in vitro tests. This project will be conducted very diligently by the team of experts in the fields necessary to accomplish the goal. This project is designed to develop an implantable microsensor to continuously monitor the body's metabolism for a long term. A person may be implanted with such a sensor through a minor out patient surgery and it will not hinder the daily activities in anyway. Such a sensor would cost $30 to $50 and greatly benefit people fighting obesity and trying to restore energy balance.