Epidermal microfluidic screen to detect diabetic kidney disease
Official title: An Epidermal Microfluidic Screening Panel for Diabetic Kidney Disease
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-11372084 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new skin-based microfluidic test platform may help identify kidney complications in people with diabetes using real-time biomarkers from sweat and glucose data.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2017 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $273,875 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM113134-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372084 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with type 2 diabetes who are able to wear a skin-based sensor and participate in biomarker analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without diabetes or those unable to use wearable sensors may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on developing a wearable, epidermal microfluidic panel to screen for diabetic kidney disease in adults with type 2 diabetes. It leverages continuous glucose data alongside other sweat biomarkers to understand how behavior and biology interact in diabetes management. The goal is to provide earlier, home-based insight into DKD risk to guide timely care and interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to earlier detection of kidney complications and more personalized diabetes care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows wearable sensors can monitor glucose and related biomarkers, with growing interest in noninvasive DKD indicators.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ray, Tyler — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Ray, Tyler
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.