A quick test for sickle cell anemia in children who have received blood transfusions
Official title: A Sample-to-Answer Point-of-Care Diagnostic for Recently Transfused Sickle Cell Anemia Patients in Low Resource Settings
Funded at Rice University · NIH-11115639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to create a fast, affordable test for sickle cell anemia in young children, especially those in areas with limited resources who have recently had a blood transfusion.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rice University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $660,153 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL166413-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11115639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for the future use of this diagnostic tool would be young children in low-resource settings who are suspected of having sickle cell disease and have recently received a blood transfusion.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have sickle cell disease or those who are not in low-resource settings and have not received recent blood transfusions would not directly benefit from this specific diagnostic tool.
What this research studies
Many children in low-resource countries, especially in Africa, are born with sickle cell disease but don't get diagnosed early. When these children become very sick with anemia and receive a blood transfusion, current tests can't tell if they have sickle cell disease for up to three months. This delay prevents them from getting the right treatment quickly. Our goal is to develop a new, easy-to-use test that looks at the child's genes, not just their blood proteins, so it can give accurate results right away, even after a transfusion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new test could provide immediate and accurate sickle cell diagnoses for vulnerable children, allowing them to start life-saving treatments much sooner.
How similar studies have gone: Existing tests have limitations in recently transfused patients, making this genetic approach a novel solution to an urgent diagnostic challenge.
Where this research is happening
-
Rice University
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R. — Rice University
- Study coordinator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Hydroxyurea to help children with sickle cell anemia in Africa
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Hydroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell in Africa
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Hydroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Disease in Africa
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Hypoxemia during Sleep in Sickle Cell Disease: How Common is It and How Might Treatments Help
This study looks at how low oxygen during sleep affects adults with sickle cell disease and how they respond to therapy across multiple urban and rural sites.
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Hypoxic red blood cells for sickle cell anemia using the Hemanext ONE system
A new approach using special low-oxygen red blood cells from the Hemanext ONE system is being tested to help adults and children with sickle cell anemia who rely on frequent transfusions.
-
Hydroxyurea for Children with Sickle Cell Anemia in Africa
A safety and feasibility pilot study tests giving hydroxyurea to young children with sickle cell anemia in sub-Saharan Africa to reduce illness and death.
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.