A quick test for sickle cell anemia in children who have received blood transfusions
A Sample-to-Answer Point-of-Care Diagnostic for Recently Transfused Sickle Cell Anemia Patients in Low Resource Settings
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 ID | NIH-11115639 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Houston, United States
- Rice University — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R. — Rice University
- Study coordinator: Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R.
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 below.