Implant Monitors the Levels of Medication in the Bloodstream in Real Time

Jan-25-14 An implantable device able to provide a real time reading of the amount of medication in a person’s bloodstream could allow doctors to fine-tune medication doses for each individual patient.

The microfluidic device, called the MEDIC, features a central chamber lined with gold electrodes with DNA strands extending from them. These strands, called aptamers, can be set to recognize specific drug molecules as the blood moves through the chamber. As the molecules of the target drug flow through the device, the aptamer strands wrap around them, which causes the strand to send electrons to its electrodes and produce a small current. This current can be read by a computer to determine how much of the drug is present in the bloodstream.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[UC SANTA BARBARA]

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