Application of thermal-induced shrink electrodes for cortisol detection in wearable devices

• Grant number: 18/19749-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: January 14, 2019
• End date: January 13, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Emanuel Carrilho
• Grantee: Amanda Hikari Imamura
• Supervisor: Michelle Khine
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/05362-9 - Development of wearable biosensor based on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (uPAD) for cortisol analysis in sweat, BP.DD

Abstract

The stress experienced by pregnant women is related to several health problems for the moms and babies, such as prematurity, low birth weight, and adverse effects on long-term child development. Maternal stress outcomes in increased fetal heart rate and decreased fetal movement. Cortisol is known as "stress hormone", and deviations from normal levels is associated with such condition. The point-of-care devices for cortisol described in the literature require manual sampling steps, which do not allow continuous monitoring of the stress state of the subject. However, a wearable device for assessment of sweat cortisol will overcome these issues and allow monitoring of the health of the pregnant woman remotely. Because sweat cortisol concentration ranges in ng mL1 level, a highly sensitive detection system is required, such as that provided by a heat-induced shrink electrode. These electrodes exhibit micro and nano-wrinkles structure on its surface caused by the shrinking of the electrode material and result in an elevated electrochemically active surface area (EASA). Also, these electrodes can be applied for motion sensing since its wrinkles allow ultra flexibility. Therefore, we propose the application of the thermally induced shrink electrodes for construction of a low-cost, non-invasive, and wearable device for sweat cortisol detection and fetal movement sensing. The shrink electrodes will be integrated with paper-based devices for indirect faradaic electrochemical detection and capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C4D). For specific detection of cortisol, anti-cortisol antibody or aptamer will be employed as bioreceptor. The device with the thermal-induced shrink electrodes will improve the flexibility for wearable device purpose, sensibility, and detectability for sweat cortisol sensing. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

IMAMURA, AMANDA; ZAKASHANSKY, JULIA; CHO, KENNY; LIN, LANCY; CARRILHO, EMANUEL; KHINE, MICHELLE. Stretchable Sensors for Nanomolar Glucose Detection. ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES, v. 5, n. 4, FEB 2020. (18/19749-5)