Infectious Disease

Current methods of detecting TB remain inadequate for low-resource settings. Our idea is to develop new technology for detecting TB via direct liquid microculture that is cheap, easy to use, and able to assess resistance to many drugs at once.

We will manipulate the evolutionary trajectories to reverse the course of drug-resistant evolution of the parasites making them drug sensitive again. This revolutionary way of fighting drug resistance will pave way to malaria eradication by drugs.

An innovative global model for prevention of diarrheal deaths with ORS and zinc that uses faith networks in Nigeria to identify and train a cadre of ""ORS moms"to serve as vehicles for behaviour change messaging and community-based suppliers.

We propose the use of a diagnostic technology for TB and HIV based in the use of a chimeric recombinant antibody obtained from a marine organism and modified by genetic engineering, which when added to a sample of blood from a patient infected by a certain disease will produce a visual reaction in the sample allowing the user to do a simple and fast screening of infected patients. This process does not require any kind of equipment and the user can use the test even without previous training.

Diagnostics For All is developing a nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) platform that can perform sample preparation, amplification, and detection in a disposable, self-contained, cartridge without any additional instrumentation. We propose adapting this platform to deliver a qualitative HIV early infant diagnosis (EID) test that can truly be used at the point-of-care, reducing the turnaround time from over a month to under an hour.

We propose to optimize and pilot-test a finger-stick based rapid syphilis point-of-care test, featuring a novel IgM antibody test (developed by Burnet Institute) that offers specificity for active infection, in combination with a total antibody test (developed by Omega Diagnostics) that offers optimal sensitivity, in one single test-strip. This test will be optimized against "gold standard" reference tests, using approximately 60 plasma samples representing active syphilis, past syphilis and healthy controls.

The Nanobiosym Gene-RADAR nanotechnology platform enables rapid, accurate, mobile, gold-standard viral load monitoring at the point-of-care at an affordable cost. In collaboration with Partners in Health in Rwanda, Nanobiosym will deliver, pilot, and evaluate Gene-RADAR, to provide early detection of HIV and demonstrate the eradication of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) through its mobile health applications. In combination with timely antiretroviral therapy (ART) this platform could save thousands of young Rwandan lives.

A simple and accurate instrument-free, low-cost Point-of-Care CD4 test that is applicable in poor, hard-to-reach settings could sustainably increase uptake of antiretroviral intervention and reduce loss to follow-up associated with centralized laboratory-based testing.

An HIV+ mother will often be reluctant to travel to a clinic the day or two after delivering her baby. She may feel too weak to travel to a clinic miles away or fear stigmatization after explaining why she must go to a clinic after delivering a healthy baby. This leaves millions of children at risk of becoming HIV+ during the birthing process. We have developed and tested in the laboratory a foilized, polyethylene pouch - something like a fast-food ketchup pouch - that can store the medication for months.

Barry Beaty of the Colorado State University in the U.S. will develop an innovative and robust, platform-based approach for sustainable insecticidal control of Anopheline mosquitoes.