Grant: Idea to Innovation

In sports science, lactate is a key biomarker for optimizing exercise intensity and performance. Measuring lactate (i.e., its production and clearance) allows athletes to design training programs that improve energy efficiency and sustain peak performance, especially in high-intensity high-interval sports. However, current lactate monitoring methods, which involve blood collection, are invasive, episodic, and disrupt performance by requiring athletes to pause activity for sampling. This leads to discrepancies between testing conditions and real-life competition. To address these challenges, we developed the Wearable Aptalyzer (WA) device that integrates two patent-pending technologies: pain-free hydrogel microneedle (HMN) sensing patches and lactate redox aptamers. The WA collects skin interstitial fluid (ISF), containing lactate, and transfers it to the sensing electrodes that are immobilized with lactate aptamer for its real-time detection. The device's performance was validated using rodent models to track lactate fluctuations. This innovative solution overcomes the limitations of current episodic and invasive technologies, enabling continuous lactate monitoring during exercise and everyday activities. The I2I project aims to demonstrate a ready-to-wear platform with effective sterilization, storage stability, and manufacturability for first-in-human testing. We will focus on the following three specific aims: Aim 1. Optimize WA manufacturing process. Aim 2. Evaluate the shelf-life and stability of lactate WA. Aim 3. Developing a fully integrated and ready-to-wear lactate WA.