Sticker Tech for Cystic Fibrosis: A Gentle Leap in Sweat-Based Diagnosis

Researchers have developed a soft, skin-interfaced “sweat sticker” that enables rapid, noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of cystic fibrosis (CF) by measuring sweat chloride levels—the gold-standard biomarker for CF. Published in Science Translational Medicine, the device adheres comfortably to fragile skin, including that of infants, and collects sweat with near-perfect efficiency. A colorimetric reagent embedded in the microfluidic channels enables real-time, smartphone-based quantification of chloride concentration without lab-based processing. Clinical studies confirmed the sticker’s accuracy and usability, offering an accessible, portable alternative to traditional sweat tests and laying the groundwork for point-of-care CF screening in non-clinical environments.