Metal-Organic-Framework Kinetic Array for Diabetes Detection

Project Information

MOFKADD

Grant agreement ID: 101188997

DOI

10.3030/101188997

Project closed

EC signature date 22 October 2024

Start date 1 November 2024

End date 30 April 2026

Funded under

• European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 150 000,00

Coordinated by

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MOFKADD (Metal-Organic-Framework Kinetic Array for Diabetes Detection)

Reporting period: 2024-11-01 to 2026-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major global health challenge, affecting 537 million people worldwide and causing over 6.7 million deaths annually. If not properly managed, DM can lead to severe complications, including vision loss, vascular damage, kidney dysfunction, nerve damage, and ultimately death. The disease comprises two main types: type 1 diabetes (T1DM), characterized by insufficient insulin production, and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), associated with impaired insulin utilization.
Current diagnostic and monitoring methods rely predominantly on blood-based measurements, which are invasive, time-consuming, and costly. In this context, breath analysis has emerged as a highly promising alternative. It offers the potential to (i) enable large-scale, non-invasive screening of populations, (ii) monitor individuals at risk of developing DM, and (iii) provide patients with a painless and convenient tool for continuous self-monitoring. Specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as acetone, propane, and ethanol, have been identified as a relevant biomarker cluster for DM diagnosis and monitoring.
However, translating breath analysis into practical diagnostic tools remains challenging. Target VOCs are typically present at low concentrations (ppm levels) and must be detected selectively in the presence of numerous interfering compounds, including other VOCs and high levels of humidity. In addition, natural variability in baseline VOC levels between individuals and over time necessitates frequent and reliable measurements using portable devices.
Current state-of-the-art technologies present a clear trade-off: highly selective analytical techniques (e.g. laboratory-based instruments) are expensive, bulky, and require skilled operators, while portable and low-cost sensors often lack the selectivity and stability required for reliable measurements, frequently suffering from issues such as baseline drift.
Within this context, there is a strong need to bridge this gap by developing a miniaturized and elegant sensing platform capable of accurate detection of VOC biomarkers in complex breath mixtures while

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A capacitive demonstrator sensor integrating custom-designed microhotplates was successfully developed and fabricated. This required the optimization of the sensor architecture and fabrication process to ensure reliable operation of both the capacitive transducers and the integrated heating elements.

To enable multiplexed measurements, multiple sensors were integrated on a single chip carrier, resulting in a compact sensor array platform with dedicated electrical interfacing and readout capabilities. A major focus was the integration of the metal-organic framework (MOF) as the active sensing layer. Deposition procedures were developed and optimized to achieve homogeneous coatings while maintaining sensor functionality.

The fabricated demonstrator was subsequently evaluated through sensing studies under controlled conditions. The results demonstrated the successful functioning of a kinetic MOF-based sensor with the integrated microhotplates unlocking a miniaturized temperature-controlled operation for kinetic VOC detection.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The project successfully met its targeted objectives. As a form of quantitative comparison, one ZIF-8 kinetic sensor was benchmarked against a state-of-the-art electronic nose, consisting of 10 MOx sensors. The single kinetic sensor easily outperformed the combined output of 10 MOx sensors.
The potential impact of this advancement is substantial, both economically and socially. With further development, these sensors could transform medical diagnostics by enabling non-invasive, efficient, and cost-effective approaches to diabetes detection and monitoring. This would facilitate earlier intervention, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to reducing healthcare costs. Beyond diabetes, the detection of acetone can be readily extended to other application domains, including performance monitoring in endurance sports, tracking of ketogenic diets, and health monitoring in elderly populations, further broadening the technology’s societal relevance and market potential.
Further steps needed towards the valorization of this demonstrator (i) further research and development. The array must be directed towards more complex synthetic mixtures. (ii) Demonstration and validation, and, Patient-based samples need to be included and the demonstrator needs to be validated. (iii) Product compliance, further elaborate quality management systems (QMS) and ISO norms needed for CE certification.