Abstract: A device for monitoring the concentration level of a constituent in tissue or a body fluid sample, such as glucose concentration in blood, has a laser light source which is modulated about a center emission frequency to probe the absorption spectrum of the constituent being monitored, a laser driver circuit for tuning and modulating the laser light, a photodetector for detecting light from the laser light source transmitted through the sample as the modulation frequency of the laser is tuned, and a demodulator for demodulating the transmitted light and detecting variations in magnitude at harmonics of the modulation frequency to assess the concentration level of that constituent. The device utilizes short-wavelength near-infrared laser light to monitor blood glucose levels, and could also be used for drug screening and diagnosis of other medical conditions as well.