Health Diagnostics

David Alland of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in the U.S., in collaboration with Advantageous Systems (ADS), will develop a method that uses paramagnetic nanoparticles conjugated with capture antibodies to quickly extract M. tuberculosis bacteria from a patient's sputum sample. This simple extraction method can be applied to a broad range of detection technologies, enabling rapid tuberculosis detection.

David Anderson of the Macfarlane Burnet Institute in Australia will examine a unique aspect of the host antibody response that may better differentiate current and past tuberculosis infections. If successful, this approach could be readily incorporated in simple, disposable blood test formats that are currently used for diagnosis in resource-poor settings.

Dan Feldheim of the University of Colorado at Boulder in the U.S. and collaborators Bruce Eaton of the University of Colorado and Delphi Chatterjee of Colorado State University propose to develop new modified DNA aptamer affinity reagents for detecting urine biomarkers of M. tuberculosis active disease. These reagents could form the basis of low-cost, low-power diagnostic sensors for use in resource-limited settings.

Karen Dobos of Colorado State University in the U.S., along with Jeff Schorey of the University of Notre Dame and their partners at the University of San Francisco, seek to identify and validate protein signatures on exosomes, which are small vesicles secreted by M. tuberculosis-infected host cells, for use as biomarkers to diagnose TB. These protein signatures seem to be concentrated by exosomes in such a way that they could be used as highly sensitive indicators of disease in diagnostic tests.

James E. Graham, Xiao-­An Fu, Michael H. Nantz, and Richard M. Higashi of the University of Louisville in the U.S. will investigate the use of adsorptive sample plates with chemically reactive coatings to capture, identify, and validate unique volatile organic compounds found in breath samples of TB patients. This approach can establish the basis for a simple point of care test to identify active disease.

Todd L. Lowary of the University of Alberta in Canada will develop a library of chemically synthesized glycans, which are antigens found on the cell wall of M. tuberculosis, and prepare a microarray of them to screen for antibodies that signal the presence of active TB.

Lineo Matsela from Sefako Makgatho University in South Africa together with collaborators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will develop a progesterone-impregnated cervical pessary with strain gauge sensors to identify cervical shortening and dilation and help prevent preterm labor. Preterm birth is a major cause of infant mortality. One of the best predictors is shortening of the cervix, which is currently detected by ultrasound and can then be treated by either vaginal progesterone or a pessary. However, none of these methods are practical in resource-limited settings.

Abram Muse from Sefako Makgatho University in South Africa together with collaborators from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA and the University of the North West in South Africa will identify biomarkers that can be used to develop a sensitive and low-cost blood test for diagnosing gestational diabetes. If left untreated, gestational diabetes can have severe consequences for mother and child. It is currently diagnosed by an expensive and time-consuming glucose tolerance test, which involves taking blood multiple times, and is often not available in low-resource settings.

Louis Roux from LifeAssay Diagnostics (Pty) Ltd. in South Africa, in collaboration with PATH, will develop an easy-to-use, low-cost, strip test for pregnant women in developing countries to detect the onset of proteinuria, which indicates a highly increased risk of preeclampsia/eclampsia. Preeclampsia/eclampsia is a major cause of maternal death, particularly in developing countries. Onset is rapid, and so early diagnosis is crucial, particularly in remote communities where health care is not immediately available.

Gerard Cangelosi and colleagues at the UW Foundation in the U.S. will develop an oral swabbing method as a lower-cost safe and simple way to diagnose tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a major global health threat and prompt diagnosis and treatment are critical for reducing spread. Currently a diagnosis is made by testing sputum from deep in the lungs produced by coughing. This can be difficult to collect and produce particularly for children and hazardous for health care workers.