A new blood test to improve diagnosis of sepsis
Official title: Cell-free DNA as a versatile analyte for the monitoring of sepsis
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-10778624 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a simple blood test that can quickly find out if someone has sepsis and what infection is causing it, using a new technique to make sure the results are accurate and helpful for getting the right treatment fast.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | February 6, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $203,242 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI173979-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10778624 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients who are critically ill and suspected of having sepsis or related infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not critically ill or do not exhibit symptoms of infection may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a minimally invasive blood test that uses cell-free DNA (cfDNA) to diagnose sepsis and identify the underlying infections. By employing a novel technique called Coffee-seq, the study aims to enhance the accuracy of detecting pathogens while minimizing contamination in blood samples. The approach involves multi-omics profiling to assess the body's immune response and organ injury simultaneously, which is crucial for timely and effective treatment. This innovative method could significantly improve the early diagnosis of sepsis, potentially saving lives.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to faster and more accurate diagnoses of sepsis, improving treatment outcomes and reducing mortality rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using cfDNA for pathogen detection, but this specific approach with Coffee-seq is novel and has not been widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Vlaminck, Iwijn — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: De Vlaminck, Iwijn
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.