ABQ Times

Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is making significant strides in microneedle technology, with a focus on improving healthcare monitoring and diagnostics. Ronen Polsky, who heads the microneedle research at Sandia, explained that the goal is to develop microneedles as wearable sensors for real-time and continuous measurements of biomarkers. Polsky highlighted the potential of microneedles beyond blood sugar measurements, stating, "We want to expand this to a whole range of other conditions to take advantage of this minimally invasive sampling using microneedles."

A collaboration with SRI has led to advancements in interstitial fluid extraction, significantly reducing the time needed for fluid collection. Polsky noted the improvement, stating, "Through our new project with SRI, we improved the technique using a single microneedle to get enough fluid for a test in about 10 minutes."

Will Brubaker from SRI emphasized the broad applications of microneedles, including the potential to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. He highlighted the importance of quick and informed decisions for early treatment, stating, "The improvement in the collection method opens up a lot of doors to other applications."

Sandia's partnership with Adaptyx Biosciences aims to understand the components in interstitial fluid and their correlation to blood measurements. Alex Yoshikawa from Adaptyx expressed the goal of developing continuous monitoring devices for public use, leveraging Sandia's technology for physiological studies.

Additionally, Sandia is collaborating with the University of California, Berkeley, to develop microneedle electrolyte sensors for monitoring cardiovascular functions and electrolyte imbalances. Polsky stressed the complexity of studying interstitial fluid but highlighted Sandia's reputation as world leaders in the field, stating, "It's turned into this interdepartmental collaborative effort with a lot of other people."

These collaborations and advancements in microneedle technology showcase Sandia's commitment to innovation in healthcare monitoring and diagnostics.