| Abstract: | Type I diabetes mellitus is defined by the patient's natural β-cells producing little to no insulin. In the absence of a permanent solution, one temporary treatment is islet transplants, containing a collection of healthy β-cells that will produce the required insulin. Our device attempts to increase insulin secretion of β-cells in vitro, in a culture dish. Photostimulation was chosen due to its precision, residual effects, and minimum cellular harm. Photostimulation excites Cytochrome C Oxidase (COO) inside the cell's mitochondria. An excited COO will produce more energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which increases β-cell insulin production and survivability. Other devices have used photostimulation for the same purpose, utilizing laser lights that operate at a wavelength around 800 nm. The device has been fabricated and characterization was done successfully. The power of the device was 27 mW, while the change in temperature of the device was less than 0.5 ºC. The device is under testing for its efficiency in in-vitro environments with a focus on β-cells. After stimulation, ATP production, cell proliferation, cell viability, and insulin secretion will be measured and compared to unstimulated cells. This will be used to validate the effectiveness of the designed device. |