Molecules found in sweat could be used to predict acute exacerbations (AEs) in patients with COPD. The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) has awarded the Lundquist Institute a four-year grant totaling more than $2.6 million to fund research into the technology.
The prediction of AECOPD is complex. Evidence of the early response to infection, before the onset of symptoms, is present in blood in the form of inflammatory signaling molecules. The collaborative team from the Lundquist Institute (led by Harry Rossiter, PhD) and Caltech (led by Wei Gao, PhD) have already developed a wearable nanoengineered biosensor that allows real-time, non-invasive analysis of the inflammatory signaling molecule C-reactive protein (CRP) in sweat, that is associated with the blood-borne response. Building on this development, their new research will identify molecules in sweat that predict future AECOPD, paving the way for real-time, on body monitoring without the need for repeated blood samples.
“Our ultimate goal is to develop a wearable system to preempt AECOPD, providing an early warning system to move treatment earlier in the exacerbation process and thereby reduce patient morbidity, mortality, hospitalization and health care utilization,” said Dr. Rossiter, who is also a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “The proposed sensor has the potential to not only revolutionize COPD management but also to impact health care by incorporating wearable electronics into chronic disease management.”
“In partnership with Dr. Harry Rossiter and the Lundquist Institute, our team at Caltech is advancing medical technology with wearable biosensors," said Dr. Gao. “Our aim with this project is to transform chronic disease management and push health care towards continuous, non-invasive monitoring for better health.”
