High-throughput spectral system for interrogation of dermally-implanted luminescent sensors

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Optical Sensing Technologies
• Biochemical Analysis

Background:

• Ratiometric luminescent microparticle sensors are developed for biochemical target detection, such as glucose, in interstitial fluid.
• Dermal implants enable on-demand monitoring, requiring a matched optoelectronic system for in vivo interrogation.
• Previous optoelectronic systems suffered efficiency losses due to fiber connections in commercial spectrometers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address photon loss issues in previous optoelectronic systems.
• To develop a high-throughput spectral system for enhanced interrogation of luminescent microparticle sensors.
• To create a cost-effective and integrated system for in vivo studies.

Main Methods:

• Design and construction of a novel high-throughput spectral system.
• Integration of excitation, collection, and measurement functionalities.
• Experimental testing and evaluation of the system's performance and throughput.

Main Results:

• The new system demonstrated a throughput approximately one hundred times greater than the previously used system.
• The developed system is cost-effective.
• The system successfully integrates excitation, collection, and measurement of luminescent emission.

Conclusions:

• The high-throughput spectral system effectively solves the photon loss problem, significantly improving sensor interrogation efficiency.
• This integrated and cost-effective system is suitable for future in vivo studies involving animal models and human subjects.
• The advancement facilitates more reliable and efficient on-demand monitoring using dermal implants.