Endocrinology Associates recognizes an important achievement in metabolic health research following Adaptyx Biosciences’ first-place win at the American Diabetes Association’s 2026 Innovation Challenge. Elena Christofides, M.D., F.A.C.E., founder of Endocrinology Associates, serves as the endocrinology lead for Adaptyx’s clinical program, which is initially focused on bringing continuous cortisol monitoring closer to clinical use.
Adaptyx earned first place during the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) 86th Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. The annual Innovation Challenge brings emerging companies before diabetes researchers, clinicians, and other industry leaders to present technologies and ideas with the potential to improve diabetes care.
“It is truly an honor to bring my expertise as the Endocrinology lead for our clinical program to bring continuous metabolic sensing with our initial focus on cortisol to market,” said Dr. Christofides.
Adaptyx is developing a wearable biosensing platform designed to continuously measure biochemical signals beyond glucose. During the 2026 Scientific Sessions, the company also presented late-breaking results from two first-in-human studies of its continuous cortisol sensor.
One study compared readings from the wearable sensor with paired venous blood measurements following a controlled oral hydrocortisone challenge. A second tracked cortisol overnight during normal daily activity. Adaptyx reported that its wearable captured the body’s overnight cortisol low point and cortisol awakening response, providing a time-resolved view of changes that conventional single blood draws and other static measurements cannot provide.
The research is particularly relevant to endocrinology because cortisol plays a substantial role in metabolic and cardiovascular function, including glucose release and blood pressure regulation. Changes in cortisol production are also central to endocrine conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal insufficiency. Adaptyx is initially developing its continuous cortisol monitor with adrenal and cardiometabolic diseases among its clinical areas of focus.
Dr. Christofides’ involvement in the program reflects a career spent at the intersection of patient care, metabolic medicine, and clinical research. She is board certified in both endocrinology and internal medicine and has helped guide or conduct dozens of clinical studies with research teams and pharmaceutical companies. Her work has covered diabetes, obesity, metabolic disease, hormonal disorders, and emerging medical technologies.
That research continues alongside her patient care at Endocrinology Associates in Columbus. Dr. Christofides founded the adults-only specialty practice to provide highly individualized care for complex endocrine conditions, including diabetes, obesity, pituitary and adrenal disorders, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic diseases.
Endocrinology Associates also maintains an active clinical research program. Its research work includes type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, pituitary disorders, Cushing’s syndrome, growth hormone disorders, and monitoring technologies such as continuous glucose monitors and other wearable devices. The practice also works with industry partners on clinical trials and medical technology research.
The Adaptyx program closely aligns with that interest in using better data to understand metabolic health. Continuous monitoring has already changed how clinicians and patients can observe glucose. Applying a similar approach to cortisol could give researchers and clinicians a more detailed picture of how the hormone changes throughout the day, rather than relying solely on measurements taken at individual time points.
Adaptyx reported more than 400 hours of Institutional Review Board-approved in-body monitoring across its broader human research program. Its platform is also being developed to measure additional hormones, small molecules, electrolytes, peptides, proteins, and other biomarkers over time.
For Dr. Christofides and Endocrinology Associates, participation in research, such as the Adaptyx clinical program, is an extension of the practice’s emphasis on data-driven endocrine care and continued investigation into technologies that may shape how metabolic diseases are diagnosed and managed.
Patients and research partners interested in learning more about Endocrinology Associates and its clinical research can visit https://endocrinology-associates.com/.
About Endocrinology Associates - Endocrinology Associates is an adults-only specialty clinic in Columbus, Ohio, led by founder Elena Christofides, M.D., F.A.C.E. Dr. Christofides is an endocrinologist and medical researcher whose work encompasses diabetes, weight management, osteoporosis, hypertension, pituitary and adrenal disorders, hormone replacement, metabolic disease, and other complex endocrine conditions. Alongside its patient care, Endocrinology Associates conducts and supports clinical research involving diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, endocrine disorders, medications, and emerging monitoring technologies. Its team emphasizes highly customized care supported by current research and a detailed understanding of each patient’s metabolic health.
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For more information about Endocrinology Associates, contact the company here:
Endocrinology Associates
Dr. Elena Christofides
(614) 802-6162
Christofides@endocrinology-associates.com
72 W 3rd Ave
#3209
Columbus, OH 43201