New research from the lab of Srikanth Singamaneni, the Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, shows the early success of a microneedle patch that can be applied to the skin to quickly and safely capture biomarkers and accurately quantify them. The patch detected early signs of kidney injury and may one day support home or point-of-care monitoring without requiring refrigeration.

Results of the research were published in Advanced Materials. It is the first study to show that encapsulating biomolecules on microneedles preserved their biological functions.