A simple, machine-free malaria test
Official title: An instrument-free malaria diagnostic
Funded at Biological Mimetics, INC. · NIH-11098601 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A quick, low-cost CRISPR-based malaria test that people in low-resource areas can run without lab equipment or advanced training.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Biological Mimetics, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Frederick, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $291,139 |
| NIH project number | 5R43AI179513-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098601 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People in malaria-endemic regions with fever or symptoms suggesting malaria who need a simple, rapid diagnostic test would be ideal candidates for use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who require detailed species typing, quantitative parasite counts, drug-resistance testing, or who have extremely low-level (below-test-threshold) infections may not benefit from this device.
What this research studies
This project is building a handheld, multi-chambered CRISPR test (called FAST-CRISPR) that detects malaria parasite DNA using steps that flow from one chamber to the next. The team will first tune the chemical mix and DNA targets in the lab using cultured parasites and DNA controls, then optimize the CRISPR/Cas12a reaction to read out clear positive or negative results. The device is designed to be instrument-free and easy to use so clinic staff or community health workers in endemic areas could run it. Later work aims to give kits to labs in malaria zones for real-world beta testing and to plan larger-scale manufacturing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow faster, more accurate malaria diagnosis at the point of care, enabling earlier treatment and reducing spread.
How similar studies have gone: Related CRISPR-based point-of-care diagnostics have shown promising accuracy in lab studies, but few have been widely deployed in the field yet, so this builds on encouraging but still early work.
Where this research is happening
-
Biological Mimetics, INC.
Frederick, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tobin, Gregory John — Biological Mimetics, INC.
- Study coordinator: Tobin, Gregory John
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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.