loader image
Thursday, June 26, 2025
93.9 F
McAllen
We Welcome your Press Release
- Advertisement -

New Microchip Sensor Measures Stress Hormones from Drop of Blood

Translate to Spanish or other 102 languages!

A depiction of stress molecules in blood electronically being detected inside nano-wells. By Ella Marushchenko

Mega Doctor News

- Advertisement -

Newswise — New Brunswick, N.J. – A Rutgers-led team of researchers has developed a microchip that can measure stress hormones in real time from a drop of blood. 

The study appears in the journal Science Advances

Cortisol and other stress hormones regulate many aspects of our physical and mental health, including sleep quality. High levels of cortisol can result in poor sleep, which increases stress that can contribute to panic attacks, heart attacks and other ailments. 

- Advertisement -

Currently, measuring cortisol takes costly and cumbersome laboratory setups, so the Rutgers-led team looked for a way to monitor its natural fluctuations in daily life and provide patients with feedback that allows them to receive the right treatment at the right time. 

The researchers used the same technologies used to fabricate computer chips to build sensors thinner than a human hair that can detect biomolecules at low levels. They validated the miniaturized device’s performance on 65 blood samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 

“The use of nanosensors allowed us to detect cortisol molecules directly without the need for any other molecules or particles to act as labels,” said lead author Reza Mahmoodi, a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. 

With technologies like the team’s new microchip, patients can monitor their hormone levels and better manage chronic inflammation, stress and other conditions at a lower cost, said senior author Mehdi Javanmard, an associate professor in Rutgers’ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 

- Advertisement -

“Our new sensor produces an accurate and reliable response that allows a continuous readout of cortisol levels for real-time analysis,” he added. “It has great potential to be adapted to non-invasive cortisol measurement in other fluids such as saliva and urine. The fact that molecular labels are not required eliminates the need for large bulky instruments like optical microscopes and plate readers, making the readout instrumentation something you can measure ultimately in a small pocket-sized box or even fit onto a wristband one day.”  The study included Rutgers co-author Pengfei Xie, a Ph.D. student, and researchers from the University of Minnesota and University of Pennsylvania. The research was funded by the DARPA ElectRX program.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

- Advertisement -

More Articles

DHR Health Becomes RGV’s First and Only Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center

Mega Doctor News EDINBURG, Texas - DHR Health is proud to announce that...

Gearing Up for Giving: From Classrooms to Communities, Annual Back-to-School Drive in Full Effect

Mega Doctor News Texas Border Business Rio Grande Valley/San Antonio, TX - Lone Star...

STHS McAllen Celebrates 100th Robotic Surgery with New DV5

Mega Doctor News A revolutionary innovation in the healthcare industry, robotic surgery has redefined surgery by offering surgeons unparalleled precision...

Dr. Fred Farias Joins UTRGV Leadership Team

Dr. Fred Farias III has been appointed to two leadership positions at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV): associate dean for External Relations at the UTRGV School of Optometry and associate vice president for Governmental Relations. In these roles, he will focus on strengthening external partnerships, supporting legislative initiatives, and promoting the university’s statewide presence.
- Advertisement -
×