| dc.description.abstract | An implantable continuous glucose monitor (iCGM) is necessary for diabetic patients to keep their glucose levels within a safe range. To build a more accessible iCGM with a longer lifetime and cheaper cost, we propose to fabricate an iCGM comprised of an optical glucose sensing assay and a “self-cleaning” hydrogel membrane. Previously, “self-cleaning” hydrogels exhibited exceptionally thin fibrous capsules and rapid healing in biocompatibility studies in vivo. Thus, they are expected to inhibit foreign body responses after implantation, leading to iCGMSs with extended lifetime and higher accuracy. In this study, two cost-effective optical sensing assays were incorporated into the hydrogel membranes. The encapsulation ability of the “self-cleaning” membrane was evaluated, specifically toward small molecules (hydrodynamic radius (Dh) <5nm). The preliminary functionality of the glucose sensors comprised of the hydrogel membranes and optical assays, were also assessed. By successfully encapsulating the optical sensing assay, an iCGM was able to be fabricated as small as a 2 mm x 5 mm cylindrical rod (diameter x length). | en |
