Xize Niu - EPSRC - Lab-on-an-Organ: A droplet based portable continuous chemical sensor

We propose to develop a novel portable continuous chemical sensor. The sensor is a new type of monitoring technology, with novelties on fluidics sampling, online and offline chemical analysis and system integration. Continuous measurement of biomolecule/drug concentrations directly from tissue or the other body fluids offers the exciting possibility of understanding physiological or pathological processes, recording responses to stimuli, drug metabolism, and even developing new therapies that use biomarker levels to guide treatment in real time. However, such measurement is challenging - the fluids are complex mixtures, the volumes can be very small, and detection methods are limited. Here a multidisplinary team from engineering, medicine and health science, propose to tackle this challenge through the development of an enabling portable sensor device. The device combines microdialysis and droplet microfluidic techniques, will sample body fluids into nano litre droplets, perform assays and measurements in situ, and communicate wirelessly to the user. We aim to develop the whole sensor package and test it in clinical settings for dermal, brain microdialysis and free flap surgery. We envisage this novel technology will revolutionize the current practices of sampling and chemical sensing, and find broad applications in disease diagnostics and monitoring, drug development, organ transplantation and the other areas.