Collaborative Research: An Ingestible Cortisol Sensor for Real-Time Monitoring of Stress Biomarkers

Continuous monitoring of cortisol is critical for managing stress-related mental health conditions, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, yet current tracking methods like blood draws or sweat sensors are either highly invasive, episodic, or lack accuracy. This project advances the national health and welfare by developing an ingestible sensor device that can be safely swallowed to continuously monitor cortisol levels from within the gastrointestinal tract for extended periods. By quantifying physiological stress levels and treating mental health disorders as objectively measurable biological conditions, this technology seeks to reduce social stigma, improve patient treatment adherence, and transition psychiatric healthcare away from trial-and-error diagnostics toward a precision medicine model. Beyond the clinical advancements, the project provides substantial societal benefit through extensive educational outreach. The research team will engage K-12 students through interactive exhibits at regional science festivals and partner with science museums to offer hands-on biosensor design experiences, directly exposing large student populations to cutting-edge careers in bioelectronics and STEM. The technical goal of this project is to engineer an electronic pill capable of prolonged retention and continuous cortisol sensing in the small intestine, overcoming the limitations of current biomolecular sensors in harsh, degradative gastrointestinal environments. The approach relies on three primary objectives. First, the project develops a robust molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor designed for pH and abrasion resistance. By utilizing a novel covalent anchoring chemistry, the structurally reinforced MIP matrix allows for rapid electrochemical regeneration and high temporal resolution without delamination. Second, the project will engineer a bio-inspired expandable anchor that resides in the stomach to prevent premature passage. This anchor is tethered via degradable links to a miniaturized electronic sensing capsule safely positioned in the duodenum, which integrates an electrochemical analog front-end and wireless communication for low-power data transmission. Finally, the sensor's functionality and its correlation to systemic plasma cortisol will be validated in vivo using preclinical animal models undergoing controlled systemic cortisol administration. Ultimately, this research will generate foundational knowledge in robust biosensor design and establish a new paradigm for prolonged intestinal localization and monitoring. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2621856 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Alex Abramson | Institution: Georgia Tech Research Corporation, ATLANTA, GA | Award Amount: $313,000 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2621856 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2621856.html