DetectiMOL IGEM 2024
University of Oslo UiO
If someone asks you to describe how stressed you are on a scale from 1-10, you might have a hard time giving an exact answer. This is the problem we would like to tackle.
Our group DetectiMOL is developing a patch which measures the concentration of “stress molecules” in our bodies. We plan to use similar principles of the glucose patch worn by millions of diabetics all over the world, but instead of measuring glucose, we measure cortisol.
Cortisol is often described as the stress hormone; it functions as an anti-inflammatory by increasing blood glucose levels to supply vital organs. This prioritization removes energy from essential functions such as the immune system, which may have long-term consequences.
On the other hand, low levels of cortisol may lead to symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, low mood, and weight loss. One reason for low cortisol levels in the body is a disease where the immune system recognizes the adrenal cortex (the gland producing cortisol) as foreign, and attacks its tissue. This condition is an autoimmune disorder called Addison’s disease.
In the future, our patch may help people with Addison’s disease to continuously monitor their cortisol levels. This will help them adjust the dosage of cortisol supplementation to maintain a healthy level at any time.
The design of our patch uses the same cortisol receptors found in the human body, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The gene for which, is inserted into competent E. coli cells and induced to produce vast amounts of the receptor. The second part of the design is an electrode which is coated by the produced GR. The conformational change that results from binding of cortisol to GR, leads to a change in impedance of the electrode. Since the impedance of the electrode will be proportional to the concentration, we can indirectly measure the cortisol levels as a function of impedance.
