UNBC science graduate Ronny Priefer is spearheading an effort to develop a breathalyzer to help diabetics measure their blood sugar levels.
Priefer, now a professor in the College of Pharmacy at Western New England University, is hoping to begin clinical trials by late next year on a device that would measure the level of acetone in a person's breath.
"There seems to be a correlation between blood glucose and how much acetone is in your breath," he said. "This stems back to ancient Greece when they realized diabetics had a sweet-smelling breath. As years went by, they eventually figured out it's acetone."
Using breath acetone levels to determine blood sugar levels isn't new, but past attempts have been thwarted by the moisture inherent in the air we breathe out. Priefer's design aims to solve that problem by using two multilayer polymers to measure the acetone levels to let diabetics know when they need insulin.
Currently, diabetics need to measure their blood sugar by pricking their finger and using a device to directly measure the blood. It's an invasive process and not everyone does it when they're supposed to, which can lead to complications.
"The compliance level is not as high as it should be," Priefer said. "If you had to prick your finger six, seven or eight times a day, every day, for the rest of your life, knowing that you're going to hurt yourself in doing so, you tend to decrease the number of times you do it."
With the help of a professor at his university's engineering department, Priefer has developed a prototype device and is currently working to secure funding for an eight-month trial. A patent has already been filed and if the trial is successful, he said it could be on the market as soon as 2015 or 2016.
The trial aims to ensure the device gives as accurate a reading as the current blood test. It will also look to see if things like eating an apple, which contains acetone. or smoking a cigarette close to the time of using the breathalyzer causes any anomalous results.
Priefer said it's too early to tell whether or not the breathalyzer will work universally for all diabetics, or if it will be more appropriate for some people with the disease but not others.
A PGSS graduate, Priefer got his start in the sciences almost by accident. He had planned to study math, but when enrolled at CNC, he needed to take a mandatory chemistry credit.
"When I started at CNC, I actually despised the subject," he recalled. "But it was required and I just loved it."
Priefer credited now retired CNC chemistry instructor Ben Malcolm for sparking his interest in the subject, which led him to begin studying chemistry at UNBC. It was there he took classes with professor Guy Plourde, who shepherded him into a career in research and academia.
Priefer said Plourde took a gamble on him by offering him some research opportunities. They paid off as the research bug bit Priefer and he continued on to get his doctorate from McGill University in Montreal.
Although he has spent some time in industry, most of Priefer's career has been in academia. Prior to his current job, he taught at Niagara University in New York. Priefer began research into the diabetes breathalyzer shortly after accepting the job at Western New England University a year and a half ago.
Priefer said it's too early to tell how much the breathalyzer would cost if it ends up going to market, but he expects a mass-produced version would cost significantly less than the $200 prototype. Users would also be required to purchase disposable tabs, but Priefer said they would be relatively inexpensive.
