Presenter: Dr. George Ayankojo

Stress is a complex physiological response that triggers the release of numerous biochemical mediators regulating the neuroendocrine and immune systems. The monitoring of stress-related molecular markers has gained increasing attention due to the strong association between prolonged stress and the development of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health conditions. This lecture will present an overview of key molecular biomarkers involved in both acute and chronic stress responses. Particular focus will be placed on recent advances in non-invasive detection strategies including wearable and point-of-care sensing technologies for real-time health monitoring. In addition, the presentation will highlight the contributions of the TalTech Biofunctional Materials Laboratory to this field, particularly in the development of molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based synthetic receptors for stress biomarker detection. Finally, the talk will conclude with a perspective on future directions in stress biomarker sensing, including the integration of robust synthetic receptors into wearable devices for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of human stress physiology.