Savvy New Tech, 10/6/21: Dr. Elliot Botvinick with iGlobe multianalyte sensor

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I posted about Dr. Elliot Botvinick from the University of California Irvine who is developing a multianalyte sensor called iGlobe.  It is unique and exciting and funded, for development by the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Dr. Elliot Botvinick, PhD is Professor, Samueli School of Engineering, BioEngineering, Surgery, Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic and The Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology. iGlobe: He was awarded a 3-year, $3.5 million grant, along with Dr. Gregory Weiss, Professor of Chemistry, from the Helmsley Charitable Trust for the development of the iGlobe, first of its kind device to simultaneously measure insulin, glucose, oxygen and ketones with a single probe inserted just beneath the skin.

Named the UCI Samueli School of Engineering “Innovator of the Year” and “Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year for several years running, Dr. Botvinick holds more than 20 invention reports and lots more than 10 patents. Dr. Botvinick earned his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego. He’s a dynamic and very enthusiastic scientist … and he is an amazing friend to the entire T1D community.

Just this week, Dr. Botvinick did a wonderful presentation to the DIY looping community as well as those in the T1D communities.  Hope you enjoy this!

Read more on The Savvy Diabetic.

Gratton Receives Award for Pioneering Work

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The International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) recognized ENRICO GRATTON with the 2021 Britton Chance Biomedical Optics Award at the SPIE Photonics West virtual conference. The award cited Gratton’s significant contributions to biophotonics – the science of producing and utilizing photons or light to image, identify and engineer biological materials. SPIE specifically noted his development of innovative ultrafast optical imaging and spectroscopy methods and their integration into microfluidic platforms.

This award was “a great honor” for Gratton who considers Chance, for whom the award was named, a “great friend.” In his conference presentation, Gratton shared his experiences meeting Chance, a National Academy of Sciences member and Olympic gold medalist in sailing who died in 2010, and doing research together.

Gratton is a professor of biomedical engineering and principal investigator for UCI’s Laboratory for Fluorescence Dynamics. A pioneer in the field of biomedical optics, Gratton’s achievements include development of the following technologies: multifrequency phase fluorometry, pulsed-source methods for frequency-domain fluorescence spectroscopy, generalized polarization to study cell membranes, spectral fluorescence lifetime measurements for cell physiology, photo-density waves, quantitative tissue oximetry with near-infrared spectroscopy and optical brain imaging.

During his more than 40-year career, Gratton has disseminated his work to researchers worldwide, trained younger scientists and interfaced successfully with industry. Under his guidance, more than 50 students have earned doctorates, with most currently occupying critical roles in academia and research institutions.

Read full article in UCI Department of Biomedical Engineering Discovery magazine.

Berns Recognized for Biomedical Optics Contributions

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MICHAEL BERNS, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of biomedical engineering with a joint appointment in developmental and cell biology, and co-founder and founding director of UCI Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom.

Berns was invited to join the society based on his extensive biomedical optics contributions in the fields of biology and medicine. “I am truly honored to be invited to join the Royal Society, especially because it’s the same society that has honored so many elite luminaries of the past,” said Berns.

The mission of the organization is to advance health, through education and innovation. Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society of Medicine are elected for life through a peer review process membership and governance. Famous Fellows include Charles Darwin, Louis Pasteur,
Edward Jenner and Sigmund Freud. Elected Fellows of the British Royal Society of Medicine are comparable to members of the National Academy of Medicine in the United States.

Click here to read UCI Department of Biomedical Engineering Discovery magazine.

Botvinick to Develop First-of-its-Kind Diabetes Monitor

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Elliot Botvinick, professor of biomedical engineering, has been awarded a three-year, $3.5 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to further the development of an innovative continuous-use monitor for those with Type 1 diabetes. The first-of-its kind device will simultaneously measure insulin, glucose, lactate, oxygen and the ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate with a single probe inserted just beneath the skin.

Called iGLOBE (Insulin + Glucose + Lactate + Oxygen + Beta-HydroxybutyratE) LifeStrip, the monitor utilizes light and chemistry to provide sensing capabilities for multiple analytes, which can be critical for controlling blood glucose and detecting possible dangerous events. The device will include continuous insulin monitoring and improve dosing efficacy by providing real-time feedback on the dynamics of insulin-pump therapy as well as real-time estimates of a patient’s sensitivity to the insulin.

It is also important to monitor blood glucose in those with Type 1 diabetes, known as insulin dependent diabetes. When blood glucose is elevated above normal values, called hyperglycemia, the body produces a chemical called beta-hydroxybutyrate. Elevated beta-hydroxybutyrate is associated with diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition, which can result in hospitalization or death. iGLOBE monitors this chemical to indicate dangerous levels and ensure automated insulin delivery functions properly.

Monitoring lactate, produced during exercise, is also important, as it can indicate changing metabolic states, which can lead to changes in blood glucose hours after exercise. This will improve glucose prediction and improve insulin dosing. “Clinical evidence suggests that both beta-hydroxybutyrate and insulin sensing would improve outcomes and decrease the rates of hospitalization, severe morbidity and death associated with hypo- and hyperglycemia,” said Botvinick, who is also associate director of UCI’s Edwards Lifesciences Center for Advanced Cardiovascular Technology and professor of surgery at UCI Beckman Laser Institute (BLI).

The addition of beta-hydroxybutyrate and insulin monitoring capabilities has the potential to be life-altering. “When taken together, glucose, lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and insulin monitoring can transform the care of people with Type 1 diabetes,” Botvinick said. “iGLOBE can improve glucose control, compensate for glucose variations associated with exercise, inform of possible or current diabetic ketoacidosis and inform of failing or failed insulin delivery.”

Botvinick is collaborating with Gregory Weiss, UCI professor of chemistry, molecular biology and biochemistry; and David O’Neal, M.D., professor of endocrinology at Australia’s University of Melbourne. The team includes John Weidling, BLI associate project scientist, and biomedical engineering graduate students Toni Wilkinson and Dat Nguyen.

Click here to read UCI Department of Biomedical Engineering Discovery magazine.