# Real-Time L-Dopa Monitoring for Improved Management of Parkinson Disease

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2020 · $433,875

## Abstract

Project Summary
The administration of L-Dopa therapies is highly individualized and must be dosed in accordance with the
control of symptoms, which vary among individuals; hence, there is no “standard dose” of L-Dopa. The
long-term goal of this project is to develop a wearable microneedle sensor for continuous real-time
monitoring of L-Dopa toward identifying the proper L-Dopa dosing regimen and improving the
management of Parkinson's disease. Such continuous L-Dopa monitoring capability would constitute a
paradigm shift by allowing PD patients and physicians to better manage the disease. As with a closed-
loop glucose monitor-insulin pump system, the insight gathered from this research could lead towards
the development of a metered L-Dopa pump, ensuring accurate L-Dopa administration by accounting for
circulating blood levels of L-Dopa. The proposed research is significant because of its potential to
improve public health through improved understanding of symptom fluctuations at different disease
stages and its contribution to scientific knowledge about how to improve the disease management.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10056836
- **Project number:** 1R21NS114764-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Irene Litvan
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $433,875
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10056836

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10056836, Real-Time L-Dopa Monitoring for Improved Management of Parkinson Disease (1R21NS114764-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10056836. Licensed CC0.

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