Continuous monitoring of diabetes with an integrated microneedle biosensing device through 3D printing

Diabetes is a prevalent chronic metabolic disease with multiple clinical manifestations and complications, and it is among the leading causes of death. Painless and continuous monitoring of interstitial glucose is highly desirable for diabetes management. Here we unprecedentedly show continuous monitoring of diabetes with an integrated microneedle biosensing device. The device was manufactured with a 3D printing process, a microfabrication process, an electroplating process, and an enzyme immobilization step. The device was inserted into the dermis layer of mouse skin and showed accurate sensing performance for monitoring subcutaneous glucose levels in normal or diabetic mice. The detection results were highly correlated with those obtained from a commercial blood glucose meter. We anticipate that the study could open exciting avenues for monitoring and managing diabetes, alongside fundamental studies of subcutaneous electronic devices.