Researchers from the SYM group at our institute are participating in an international project to design a wearable device capable of analyzing sweat to identify biomarkers for metabolic conditions such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, and obesity.
Developed within the framework of the European UltraSense project (funded by the Horizon Europe program), the device utilizes advanced graphene biosensors to enable continuous, accurate, non-invasive, and cost-effective health monitoring.
Our institute’s contribution, led by Professor María José Bañuls Polo, focuses on designing bioreceptor elements and modifying graphene surfaces to detect metabolic biomarkers with high sensitivity. Beyond its focus on personalized medicine and prevention, the project emphasizes environmental sustainability by incorporating green materials to reduce CO₂ emissions by over 70% during manufacturing.
Having successfully passed its initial 18-month evaluation by the European Commission, the project is moving forward with integrating sensorics, flexible materials, and artificial intelligence for signal processing. The device will be validated in two use cases: early detection of metabolic syndrome and health monitoring during exercise.