Abstract
Disclosure: N. Ghanbari Ghalehjoughi: None. N. Adil: None. X. Wang: None. At-home blood calcium monitoring may revolutionize the management of hypoparathyroidism similarly as glucose meters have done for diabetes management. Measurements of ionized calcium in whole blood via ion-selective electrodes and total calcium in plasma via chromogenic probes have been routinely performed in hospitals for decades. However, calcium monitoring in resource-limited settings such as at home remains challenging. One reason is that large volumes of blood (> 95 μL) are needed for tests using current technologies, which are hard to collect from fingerpicks by patients. Another reason is that complicated and costly designs are used to handle fluids and perform on-site calibration. My group is developing two types of ionophore-based chemical sensors for highly selective detection of blood calcium via low-cost devices and less than 10 μL of capillary blood from the fingertip. In one direction, we develop highly sensitive colorimetric sensors that detect total calcium concentration in blood. Our novel biphasic sensing design does not suffer from optical interference from the colored and turbid blood and therefore tests blood without pretreatment processes. A smartphone with a color analysis app is used to acquire and analyze the colorimetric response to blood samples. In another direction, we develop electrochemical sensors that detect ionized calcium in blood without any fluid handling or on-site calibration. An innovative self-calibration method is designed to reduce the sensor-to-sensor variations and assure the accuracy of the calcium electrodes. The goal is that these methods will empower patients to self-monitor blood calcium and self-manage parathyroid disorders. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023