Contactless Bioimpedance Sensing

Detecting and Sensing Transplant Rejection

Principal Investigator: Georg Wieselthaler, MD

Challenge

Every transplanted tissue and solid organ bears the risk of rejection, which can result in loss of the transplanted organ, resumption of the illness, and death. Currently, the status of transplanted organs is monitored by period biopsies and tracking various inflammation and rejection markers via blood tests. The ability to continuously monitor transplanted organs would enable detection of early stages of rejection, allowing for a more rapid response and the potential to maintain organ function without subsequent surgery. 

Solution

 Our group is developing a contactless, implantable sensor that can continuously monitor transplanted tissue status. By monitoring the electrical signature of transplanted tissue, this device can identify the early signs of tissue rejection and alert clinicians, enabling rapid preventative intervention.

Honors & Awards

Surgical Innovations Accelerator (Spring 2015)