SensUs
Event 2026

SensUs 2026 challenges ambitious students from all over the globe to form a student team and start developing an innovative biosensing system for the continuous monitoring of levodopa for Parkinson's disease. The event will take place during the SensUs Innovation Days where teams will test and present their biosensors. 

Parkinson's disease is already the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and its prevalence among the global population is projected to double over the next few decades. The primary risk factor is age, with average age of onset being 50-60 years. 

The disease develops by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein cells in Lewy Bodies, and progression starts when dopaminergenic neurons begin to die. Motor symptoms include slowness of movement, postural instability, rigidity, tremors, and rapid eye movement disorder. Non-motor symptoms include dementia, vocal impairments, irregular sleep patterns, depression, and anxiety.

Levodopa has remained the benchmark treatment for Parkinson's disease since its introduction around 1970. It is typically administered in combination with an AAADI (aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor), like carbidopa or benserazide, to increase the efficacy of levodopa entering into the central nervous system by minimizing the peripheral conversion of levodopa to dopamine. 

Long-term usage of levodopa can lead to complications. Early in Parkinson's disease, the brain can store and regulate dopamine well, providing stable symptom relief. However, as the disease progresses to later stages, this ability of the brain weakens, resulting in greater fluctuations in levodopa levels.

A continuous wearable levodopa sensor would help doctors to make informed decisions about personalized patient treatment and how to adjust medication in real-time to reduce levodopa fluctuations. Continuous sensing would also help researchers better understand the pharmacokinetics of levodopa across different matrixes. This could improve treatment strategies for late-stage Parkinson's patients and also help make a step towards the long-term vision of closed-loop levodopa therapy.