A painless punch with a microneedle patch could detect kidney disease earlier

by Beth Miller, Washington University in St. Louis

edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan

Sadie Harley

Scientific Editor

Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process

Robert Egan

Senior Editor

Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

proofread

The GIST Add as preferred source

Kidney disease is silent in its early stages, progressing without symptoms until the disease is advanced. Researchers in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, in collaboration with researchers at WashU Medicine and Texas A&M University, have been developing a minimally invasive method to improve diagnosis at earlier stages.

New research from the lab of Srikanth Singamaneni, the Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, shows the early success of a microneedle patch that can be applied to the skin to quickly and safely capture biomarkers and accurately quantify them. The patch detected early signs of kidney injury and may one day support home or point-of-care monitoring without requiring refrigeration.

Results of the research were published in Advanced Materials. It is the first study to show that encapsulating biomolecules on microneedles preserved their biological functions.

A stable patch for early detection

The research team, which includes Yixuan Wang, a doctoral student in Singamaneni's lab, created microneedles coated with a metal-organic framework (MOF) that can sample interstitial fluid in the skin. The microneedles are coated with a material that forms a shell that detects and preserves antibodies to neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), an early biomarker of acute kidney injury. The MOF shell preserved the antibodies for up to four weeks at 50°C (122°F) without refrigeration.

"This metal-organic framework encapsulation is a simple and highly effective way to create microneedle sensors that are resilient to environmental challenges and provide a scalable path to minimally invasive biosensing for at-home or remote health monitoring," Singamaneni said.

NGAL increases in the blood within hours of a kidney injury and is a clinically validated biomarker for kidney damage. However, because it requires drawing blood with a needle and cold-chain logistics, it has not been useful in home-based or resource-limited settings.

Overcoming the cold-chain barrier

Previously, Singamaneni and collaborators established another type of microneedle patches that can look for biomarkers of disease. Adapting that low-cost, easy-to-use technology required them to create a biosensor with high sensitivity and a broader range, as well as address cold-chain logistics.

Publication details

Yixuan Wang et al, Metal–Organic Framework‐Preserved Thermostable Microneedle Patch for Minimally Invasive Detection and Monitoring of Kidney Dysfunction, Advanced Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1002/adma.74423

Journal information: Advanced Materials

Key medical concepts

Injury to KidneyMicroneedle Drug Delivery SystemAcute Kidney Injury

Clinical categories

NephrologyLaboratory medicine Provided by Washington University in St. Louis Who's behind this story?

Sadie Harley

BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →

Robert Egan

Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language. Full profile →

Citation: A painless punch with a microneedle patch could detect kidney disease earlier (2026, August 25) retrieved 28 August 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-painless-microneedle-patch-kidney-disease.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.