Diagnostics is the future of biotech, now that diagnostics and therapy are linked more than ever. Consider breast cancer, gene signatures like HER2, serve two purposes- diagnosing the disease and dictating the treatment. To me, tomorrow diagnostics do not merely dictate therapy, but incorporate preventative care by monitoring. This means, we need new devices for detecting early biomarkers in real time not just to provide a snap shot on a particular day. Since “real- time monitoring” is the holy grail, these devices need to be compatible with round- the clock- use, small, portable, battery-operated and connectable to networks of information. In other words, diagnostic devices should combine the most recent advances in medicine, technology and material science.
The closest we came to such a real- time diagnostic device was the clip- on blood glucose monitoring device for routine use by type 1 diabetics. A milestone in diabetes care, it involved a needle inserted into the patient with a monitoring device which syncs to a computer. It is small and battery operated, but can be painful at times. Recently, in a giant step forward, Swiss scientists at the EPFL, including biologists, doctors, computer and electronic engineers came together to unveil a nano- diagnostic device, which can be placed under the skin for continuous monitoring of many molecules which are commonly used to diagnose a range of diseases. This device is has five sensors, a power sensor and miniaturized coils for radio communication. The sensors can track different biochemicals in body fluids based on how they are coated. Power is provided by a small skin patch battery. So, once implanted, the device does not need to be removed to recharge power. Data is collected in real time and synced via bluetooth to a mobile device creating a continuous log that can be interpreted by doctors. The extent of uses this device can have is discussed by Dr. deMicheli, in a video released by the EPFL.
The real importance of this device is how revolutionary real-time monitoring could alter the diagnostic and treatment landscape. Though diabetics would certainly benefit most from this device, cancer patients, patients of other metabolic disorders and cardio vascular disease patients will see a new lease of life from early diagnosis and preventative care. Today, cancer biomarkers are monitored by periodic blood draws or imaging, making early diagnosis arbitrary. Real-time monitoring would allow early prediction of relapses and tweaking treatment. Imagine if a patient’s medical team can get mobile alerts when the blood troponin starts its rise, which happens at least 4 hours before the actual heart attack. In other words, this is a nano-laboratory, which can actually save lives.
This invention is extremely exciting, what really concerns me is the long-term sensitivity of the sensors. Early diagnosis is all about catching changes in the levels of biomarkers before a ripple becomes a tsunami. Of course we know nothing about the effects of implanting this device in the skin over short and long times, yet. Answers to these questions will be some time in coming. But, it is clear that the age of nano technology is here and preventative care can now be visualized in real time.