ETH Zurich Implant Converts Glucose to Reduce Blood Sugar — SkimNews
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- ETH Zurich researchers led by Martin Fussenegger created an inorganic, cell-free electronic implant that converts excess blood glucose into eliminable gluconate using electrically powered catalysis, avoiding biological components.
- The implant uses a graphite felt electrode coated with gold and platinum nanoparticles to catalyze glucose conversion, operates at low voltage, and showed no tissue damage in animal testing.
- A wireless system powers the device at 13.56 MHz and enables closed-loop control: a glucose sensor triggers the implant via Bluetooth when blood sugar rises, then shuts it off when levels normalize.
- In diabetic mice, the implant successfully regulated blood sugar over six weeks and led to weight loss, suggesting it prevents excess glucose from being stored as fat.
- The research team plans to develop the experimental system into a scalable medical device for potential clinical testing, leveraging existing wireless and digital health technologies.
Why it matters: People with type 2 diabetes could eventually use an implant that removes excess glucose instead of relying on insulin, which doesn’t address energy surplus. The device’s ability to promote weight loss in mice suggests a direct metabolic benefit beyond glucose control, potentially altering treatment for diabesity.
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