Serotonin measurement by lab-on-a-contact lens in porcine and human tears.
A reversible lab-on-a-contact lens detects tear serotonin with a 72 picomolar sensitivity, enabling real-time monitoring of stress biomarkers in tears.
- Why it matters: Current methods for assessing stress-related hormones are invasive or subjective, limiting continuous and noninvasive monitoring crucial for mental health management.
- What they did: The team developed a stretchable, electrochemical sensor integrated into a soft hydrogel contact lens, capable of in situ serotonin detection over 28 days with stable performance under mechanical stress.
- The result: This platform demonstrated safety in porcine eyes, correlated tear serotonin with stress markers in mice, and showed potential for noninvasive, real-time mental health assessment in humans.