Researchers from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a novel bandage-style microneedle patch that captures immune responses directly from the skin without pain. This device identifies inflammatory markers in minutes and isolates key immune cells within hours, bypassing blood draws and invasive biopsies.
Clinicians and scientists already apply the patch to investigate immune activity in aging, vitiligo, psoriasis, and other skin autoimmune disorders. It holds promise for monitoring vaccine efficacy, infection responses, and cancer treatments, offering a patient-friendly alternative to conventional methods.
How the Patch Harnesses the Body’s Immune Defenses
The innovation targets resident memory T cells, vigilant immune sentinels embedded in skin and barrier tissues. These cells swiftly detect familiar threats like viruses or allergens, releasing signals that draw specialized T cells from the blood.
By briefly activating this natural alarm, the patch concentrates immune cells in the skin for sampling. It analyzes T cell counts, activation states, and signaling molecules, providing insights into immune vigor against specific conditions.
“In this study, we used antigen-specific T cells as a proof of concept, but the patch also captures other immune cells and inflammatory biomarkers,” states Sasan Jalili, biomedical engineer and immunologist at JAX and joint faculty at UConn School of Medicine.
Testing in Models and Humans
In mouse vaccination studies, the patch significantly enhanced recovery of antigen-specific T cells from the bloodstream. A human trial at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School yielded abundant immune cells and proteins, including resident memory T cells.
“This study marks the first demonstration of live human immune cell sampling using a microneedle patch,” Jalili notes. “This opens the door to a new way of monitoring immune responses that’s practical, painless, and clinically feasible.”
The patch features hundreds of tiny needles crafted from an FDA-approved polymer, coated in a safe seaweed-derived hydrogel. These penetrate only the skin’s upper layers, avoiding nerves and vessels while drawing cells from interstitial fluid.
Design and Future Applications
Sasan Jalili initiated development during postdoctoral work at MIT, refining it at JAX with UMass Chan collaborators for clinical use. Study co-author Darrell Irvine, immunologist and bioengineer at Scripps Research, highlights: “Not only did we run extensive preclinical experiments, we were able to carry out an initial test in humans. That’s exciting because it almost never happens with brand-new technologies.”
Ideal for skin diseases like allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, and vitiligo—where culprit immune cells reside in tissues—the patch supports Jalili’s research on age-related skin inflammation and frailty via the Pepper Scholars Program.
Future adaptations could enable at-home flare-up tracking for skin conditions or extend to oral and nasal monitoring. “People wouldn’t need hours of sampling. Even 15 to 30 minutes can be enough to detect inflammatory signals and get a sense of what’s happening in the tissue,” Jalili adds.
Findings appear in Nature Biomedical Engineering (Jalili et al., DOI: 10.1038/s41551-026-01617-7).
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