Carl Olsson

I started my PhD in February 2022 together with Ass. Prof. Niclas Roxhed in the Medical MEMS Group. My research focuses on the development of microfluidic devices for bio-medical applications, with focus on making a patient-centric blood test to measure lithium levels in blood.

Lithium (Li+) is one of the most effective mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder, a prevalent disorder afflicting 1-2% of the population. However, Li+ treatment is problematic due to a small therapeutic window and the risk of severe adverse effects at high Li+ blood levels, necessitating tailored doses to suit each patient. Li+ monitoring is essential for all patients undergoing treatment and is accomplished by frequent blood tests at the start of treatment with regular follow-ups three times a year. The lack of more frequent testing is one of the reasons Li+ is not used as often as it should since infrastructure for continuous testing, and follow-ups are needed. We are developing a prototype device that allows patients to perform these tests at home.