Chicago Biomedical Research Hub Publishes Breakthrough Inflammation Study
The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, a biomedical research center backed by Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, has published its first major research study in the scientific journal Science. The breakthrough research focuses on developing a way to monitor inflammation in real-time using sensors implanted under the skin.
Co-led by researchers from Northwestern University, the study aimed to track changes in proteins that indicate inflammation in diabetic rats. While it’s currently possible to measure protein changes through periodic blood and urine tests, the implantable sensors could provide continuous monitoring of inflammation as it occurs.
“We hope this work provides a foundation for tracking inflammation in the human body, which is essential because many diseases start with inflammation,” said Shana Kelley, senior author of the paper and president of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago.
The study notes that more than half of all deaths worldwide are attributed to inflammation-related diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease. Inflammation is a natural response to illness or injury, but prolonged or unnecessary inflammation can be detrimental.
The sensor technology aims to enable early intervention to prevent or mitigate the severity of these diseases. This concept was inspired by continuous glucose monitors used by individuals with diabetes to track blood sugar levels.
The first published research comes just a year and a half since the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative announced plans to establish the Chicago biohub. The Initiative has committed $250 million over 10 years to fund the project, which brings together scientists from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The Chicago biohub will continue to focus its research on inflammation and is one of four hubs in the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network, with centers also located in San Francisco, Boston, and Hawaii.