Wearable system to monitor shunt health in hydrocephalus patients
Official title: Active surveillance and differential diagnosis of shunt complications in hydrocephalus patients using wearable ultrasound
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11424984 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A wearable COSMOS device would continuously monitor CSF shunt function and signs of infection to help patients and clinicians catch problems earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $532,224 |
| NIH project number | 1R61NS150072-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424984 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts due to hydrocephalus or related conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without shunts or those not at risk for shunt-related complications may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a Clip-On System to Monitor Shunt device (COSMOS) that people with CSF shunts can wear in daily life and in the ED. It focuses on tracking indicators such as white blood cell trends and CSF flow to detect shunt malfunction or infection sooner than current methods. The work includes human factors research to design an easy-to-use wearable and regulatory steps to move toward clinical testing, followed by early safety and usability studies in patients. If successful, COSMOS could reduce urgent ED visits and invasive testing by providing real-time signals about shunt status.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, COSMOS could enable earlier detection of shunt problems, potentially reducing complications and urgent hospital visits for patients with hydrocephalus.
How similar studies have gone: This approach builds on prior work in wearable monitoring and device-health surveillance, but applying it specifically to CSF shunts is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kang, Jeeun — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kang, Jeeun
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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.