Implantable living sensor paired with an external reader that digitizes the data
Darko SavicAug 27, 2021
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There are 2 aspects to this idea:
An implantable, biochemical, living sensor that monitors the desired biomarkers (hormone levels, glucose, whatever) paired with a wearable device that detects changes in the sensor and digitizes the data in real-time.
The sensor is made of the patient's own cells that have been reprogrammed to pluripotency and then developed into a gland-like mini-organ. This organ contains genetically modified cells that react to biomarker concentrations.
Why?
no foreign material in the body that the immune system could react to
the implanted "sensor" is powered by the food you eat
access to real-time, reliable data about the state of your health
How
Biochemistry and genetic engineering are outside of my area of expertise. Consider this science fiction until someone knowledgeable comes along with a more realistic perspective:)
I imagine taking a suitable cell (maybe from a gland) and reprogramming it back to pluripotent state or at least as far back as it needs to be taken to then want to develop into a mini organ. The resulting lump of cells would be programmed to react to increase/decrease of the target biomarkers.
The reaction would have to be detectable from the outside of the skin (reading device). So what reactions can be detected from the outside? A few options that come to mind:
bioluminescence
melanogenesis (can melatonin be reuptaken/degraded fast enough?)
inflamation
pulsating movement (muscle twitching)
bioelectrogenesis (Electric eel style, only smaller scale)
what else?
The sensor cells would react differently to different biomarkers. That way they could be multipurpose.
The mini-organ would be grown in vitro, around an artificial blood vessel. Upon implantation, the entire lump, as well as the vessel, would be attached to a blood vessel at a suitable location under the skin. Maybe on the wrist or on a finger. An Oura type ring could be used to detect the changes in the sensor organ.
In the distant future a "sensor cell" could be injected under the skin. Like a benign tumor, it would then develop on its own into the final form - a mini-organ that reacts to stuff it detects.
Darko Savic Aug 27, 2021