Graphene-Based Biosensors Could Detect Sepsis Earlier in Critically Ill Patients
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 09 Jun 2023 |

Lactate serves as a vital biomarker in managing hospitalized patients who are critically ill. A common complication in intensive care units, hyperlactatemia, can occur either due to insufficient oxygen supply to tissues or underlying conditions such as advanced liver disease. If left untreated, hyperlactatemia can escalate into lactate acidosis, a severe condition that can be life-threatening. Reliable real-time lactate detection, whether via single-point or continuous monitoring, has the potential to enhance patient outcomes in critical care and speed up the diagnosis of sepsis in critically ill individuals. Now, a new study has highlighted the significant potential of graphene-based biosensors for detecting elevated lactate levels.
The study by researchers at the University of Bath (Bath, UK) showed that using Integrated Graphene’s (Stirling, UK) Gii-Sens electrochemical sensor can enhance the diagnostic accuracy of hyperlactatemia. The Gii-Sens, a diagnostic biosensing electrode, outperforms conventional sensing materials by a factor of 10-100, enabling rapid, laboratory-quality testing at the point of need in a cost-effective manner. Gii-Sens electrochemical electrodes, produced using Integrated Graphene’s novel 3D graphene Gii, are disposable sensors designed for one-step assays without the need for pre-treatments.
“Lactate is a naturally occurring biomarker which everyone produces as a byproduct of exercising. For most people it is easily processed by the body and will cause no major harm, apart from a little cramp if you overexert yourself,” said Dr. Marco Caffio, Integrated Graphene’s Co-Founder and CSO. “However, for some critically ill patients and those with underlying conditions it can be a sign of a range of other issues, some of which, like sepsis, can be fatal. Having a robust way of monitoring lactate levels is important in ensuring the best possible outcomes for these patients. The findings of this study demonstrate Gii’s reliable performance and potential to save lives.”
Related Links:
University of Bath
Integrated Graphene
Latest Hematology News
- Next-Generation Hematology Platform Streamlines High-Complexity Lab Workflows
- Blood Eosinophil Count May Predict Cancer Immunotherapy Response and Toxicity
- Higher Ferritin Threshold May Improve Iron Deficiency Detection in Children
- Stem Cell Biomarkers May Guide Precision Treatment in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
- Advanced CBC-Derived Indices Integrated into Hematology Platforms
- Blood Test Enables Early Detection of Multiple Myeloma Relapse
- Single Assay Enables Rapid HLA and ABO Genotyping for Transplant Matching
- Prognostic Biomarker Identified in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Routine Blood Test Parameters Link Anemia to Cancer Risk and Mortality
- Prognostic Tool Guides Personalized Treatment in Rare Blood Cancer
- New Platelet Function Assay Enables Monitoring of Antiplatelet Therapy
- Open Multi-Omics Platform Identifies Prognostic Subtypes in Blood Cancers
- AI-Powered Digital Workflow Standardizes Bone Marrow Aspirate Morphology
- Rapid Cartridge-Based Test Aims to Expand Access to Hemoglobin Disorder Diagnosis
- New Guidelines Aim to Improve AL Amyloidosis Diagnosis
- Automated Hemostasis System Helps Labs of All Sizes Optimize Workflow
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Simple Blood-Based Cholesterol Efflux Assay Identifies High-Risk Coronary Plaque Features
Unstable coronary plaques are difficult to identify before they trigger acute cardiovascular events. Standard high-density lipoprotein (HDL) measurements do not always capture how well HDL particles function... Read more
Plasma Vitamin C Levels Associated with Brain Structure and Connectivity in Aging
Previous studies have linked vitamin C–rich diets with lower risk of cognitive impairment in older adults. However, few investigations have directly examined blood plasma vitamin C in relation to brain... Read more
Mass Spectrometry Detects Tumor Metabolites for Cancer Monitoring
Cancer’s altered metabolism complicates how clinicians detect and monitor tumors, because nutrient use can shift with context and time. Measuring small-molecule metabolites that distinguish malignant from... Read more
Urinary Biomarker Assay Predicts Kidney Disease Progression Beyond Standard Measures
Many patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease continue to experience progressive renal decline, yet conventional markers such as albuminuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Ultrasensitive HPV Blood Test Predicts Early Recurrence in Head and Neck Cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck cancers are frequently treated with surgery, but some patients experience recurrence due to residual microscopic disease. Postoperative decisions about... Read more
New Library Normalization and Amplification Tools Support Oncology Sequencing
High-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) laboratories continue to grapple with uneven library pooling and amplification artifacts that can degrade variant calling accuracy and increase reruns.... Read moreHematology
view channel
Next-Generation Hematology Platform Streamlines High-Complexity Lab Workflows
Sysmex America (Chicago, IL, USA) has introduced the next generation XR-Series, centered on the XR-10 Automated Hematology Module for high-complexity laboratories. The platform builds on the widely used... Read more
Blood Eosinophil Count May Predict Cancer Immunotherapy Response and Toxicity
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have improved outcomes across many cancers, yet only a subset of patients derive durable benefit and biomarkers to guide treatment remain limited. Eosinophils, best known for... Read moreImmunology
view channelAptamer-Based Biosensor Enables Mutation-Resilient SARS-CoV-2 Detection
Rapid evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can undermine existing molecular diagnostics, especially when assays target small viral components. Double-antibody sandwich... Read more
Study Points to Autoimmune Pathway Behind Long COVID Symptoms
Long COVID leaves many SARS-CoV-2 survivors with persistent fatigue, cognitive issues, palpitations, and musculoskeletal pain for months or years. Estimates cited in new research suggest 4%–20% of infected... Read more
Metabolic Biomarker Distinguishes Latent from Active Tuberculosis and Tracks Treatment Response
Tuberculosis (TB) remains the world’s leading infectious killer, with 10.8 million cases and 1.25 million deaths recorded globally in 2023. Yet many infected individuals never develop active disease, underscoring... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
TORCH Infection Trends Point to Need for Tailored Screening in Pregnancy
Congenital TORCH infections can be asymptomatic during pregnancy yet cause stillbirth, birth defects, and lifelong disability in infants. Many regions still lack robust surveillance to guide testing and... Read more
New Culture Medium Speeds C. difficile Resistance Detection and Reduces Costs
Clostridioides difficile infections remain a persistent threat in hospitals and communities, affecting about 500,000 people in the United States each year. Severe cases can be fatal within 30 days of diagnosis,... Read morePathology
view channel
Uncertainty-Aware AI Platform Supports Automated HER2 Assessment in Breast Cancer
Accurate assessment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is critical for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment selection, yet scoring variability and infrastructure requirements can complicate... Read more
AI Tool Speeds Brain Tumor Classification from Routine Histology Slides
Accurate classification of brain and spinal cord tumors increasingly depends on molecular profiling alongside histology, but access to such testing remains limited and results can take about two weeks.... Read more
IHC Companion Diagnostic Standardizes Mismatch Repair Testing for Cancer Immunotherapy
Deficient DNA mismatch repair is an established predictive biomarker for response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, yet access to standardized assessment has varied across tumor types. Cancer remains the... Read moreTechnology
view channel
AI Platform Links Biomarker Results to Cancer Clinical Trials and Guidelines
Oncology teams must manage growing volumes of genomic data, rapidly evolving clinical trial options, and frequently updated care guidelines, all within tight clinic schedules. Translating complex tumor... Read more
Agentic AI Platform Supports Genomic Decision-Making in Oncology
Oncology care teams increasingly face the challenge of managing complex molecular diagnostics, evolving treatment options, and extensive electronic health record documentation. Translating multimodal data... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Open-Source Consortium Aims to Standardize Digital Pathology Workflows
Digital pathology is expanding rapidly as laboratories adopt whole-slide imaging and computational tools to meet growing diagnostic and biomarker-testing demand. However, fragmented software infrastructure... Read more








