A Chronically Implantable Microsensor Array for Monitoring Biomarkers Relevant to

描述(申请人提供)：肥胖症是美国最流行且日益严重的疾病之一。流行的体重控制方法，如锻炼计划或低碳水化合物饮食，未能阻止美国肥胖症的流行。当能量摄入长期超过能量消耗时，肥胖就会发生，只有当个人做出纠正这种能量失衡的行为改变时，肥胖才会得到解决。这种行为变化未能发生的一个原因是，目前很难监测在典型日常生活条件下，行为变化对能量平衡各组成部分的影响。因此，我们建议开发一种植入式微传感器阵列，可以在不干扰日常生活活动的情况下，方便地监测与碳水化合物和脂肪利用相关的生物标志物。脂肪和碳水化合物是人体的两个主要燃料来源，它们的相对利用率取决于年龄、饮食、运动强度和健康水平等因素。所提出的传感器阵列可用于在休息和运动期间持续监测全身葡萄糖、pH和二氧化碳/碳酸氢盐的水平。我们假设，这样的传感器将足够灵敏，以检测短期和长期饮食脂肪摄入量的大幅增加(或减少)。在拟议的工作中，我们将开发、制造和测试一种基于智能水凝胶和微机械压力传感器的植入式传感器平台，该平台将连续测量葡萄糖、pH和CO2，具有高长期稳定性和生物兼容性。提出的平衡传感器阵列将由四个水凝胶组成，它们位于独立的微腔中，通过按比例膨胀对葡萄糖、二氧化碳和pH的浓度做出反应，第四个水凝胶作为参考。压力传感器捕捉到了水凝胶在承压井中体积增大的趋势。该项目将在三个具体目标下完成。第一个重点是水凝胶的开发和长期测试。第二个具体目标是开发碳化硅平台，第三个具体目标是生物相容性涂层试验和长期体外试验。这一项目将由专家团队在实现目标所必需的领域中非常勤奋地进行。该项目旨在开发一种植入式微型传感器，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，它无论如何都不会阻碍日常活动。这样的传感器将花费30到50美元，对抗击肥胖和试图恢复能量平衡的人有很大好处。

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.