Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a Smart Well Device and Multimodal System for real-time monitoring of biological samples and cellular activity. The platform combines sensor-enabled smart well plates with integrated environmental control, microscopy, and wireless data collection in a single system. Miniature sensors inside each well can simultaneously monitor multiple analytes, including oxygen, glucose, lactate, and pH. The system also supports optical imaging and customizable sensor configurations for a wide range of biological and biomedical research applications.
Understanding cellular metabolism is critical for studying diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disorders. Current methods often rely on measuring oxygen consumption and extracellular acidification, but these measurements alone may not fully capture cellular metabolic activity. Existing imaging and electrochemical systems are often expensive, difficult to integrate, or unable to provide continuous real-time monitoring across multiple analytes simultaneously. Researchers need compact and flexible platforms that combine environmental control, imaging, and biochemical sensing within a single system.
The Smart Well Device is designed around a standard 6- to 24-well plate format, allowing it to integrate easily into existing laboratory workflows. Each disposable well contains miniature sensors embedded into a glass-bottom structure with gold-plated electrodes. The platform currently supports simultaneous monitoring of oxygen, glucose, lactate, and pH, while additional sensing capabilities for analytes such as glutamine, citrate, and nitrate are under development. Individual wells can be swapped in and out depending on the sensing requirements of a given experiment, enabling customizable assay configurations without replacing the entire platform.
The smart well plate can operate independently or as part of the larger Multimodal System, which combines environmental regulation, optical microscopy, wireless communication, and software-based data analysis into a single research platform. The environmentally controlled chamber regulates temperature, humidity, and oxygen concentration, including hypoxic conditions that better replicate physiological cellular environments. Integrated optical imaging augments biochemical sensor data, enabling real-time monitoring of cell behavior alongside continuous analyte measurements. Data is transmitted wirelessly through Bluetooth or WiFi for streamlined collection and analysis.
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Thomas Chen
Daniel Ball
Caleb Begly
Jessy McGowan
Jessy.McGowan@colostate.edu
970-491-7100