Indian researchers develop needle-free glucose testing method

A new study suggests that a technique called photoacoustic sensing could replace the traditional needle-based methods for testing blood glucose. For people with diabetes, frequent needle pricks to measure glucose can be painful and lead to infections. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science found that by using a laser on biological tissue, they can detect glucose levels without damaging the tissue. The laser light causes the tissue to heat up slightly, creating vibrations that turn into sound waves picked up by sensitive detectors. Different molecules, like glucose, absorb light in unique ways. This means that when the laser light interacts with glucose, it produces sound waves that have different patterns, like fingerprints. The researchers used polarized light—light that oscillates in only one direction—to enhance their measurements. The study revealed that as glucose concentration increases, the sound waves’ intensity changes in a specific way. By tracking these sound signals, the researchers could estimate the glucose concentration accurately. They tested the method on water, serum solutions, and even slices of animal tissue. The research team successfully monitored glucose levels in a healthy participant over three days after meals. However, they noted that their current laser system is expensive and bulky, so they are working on making it smaller and more practical for clinical use. This technique has the potential to measure other chiral molecules, meaning it could also help in the detection of various drugs in the body. The findings could lead to safer and more convenient methods for monitoring health.