Alcohol T Score: A new test to predict mortality risk from drinking in people in the PLCO health study
Official title: Does the Alcohol T Score (ATS) Predict Mortality in the PLCO Population?
Funded at Bd Holding, INC. · NIH-11251163 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new blood test called the Alcohol T Score (ATS) is being studied to better predict who is at risk of death from heavy drinking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Bd Holding, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $310,235 |
| NIH project number | 1R43AA032752-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251163 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have participated in or are similar to PLCO study populations and have histories of alcohol use or exposure.
✕Less likely to help
The findings may not directly benefit individuals who do not have a history of heavy alcohol consumption or are not part of PLCO-like cohorts.
What this research studies
This project uses a cutting-edge methylation-sensitive digital PCR test to measure chronic alcohol use from DNA. It builds on prior findings that ATS outperforms current standards in identifying heavy drinking and predicting mortality among participants in the PLCO cancer screening trial. If ATS proves reliable, it could give clinicians a clearer picture of a patient’s risk related to alcohol consumption and guide prevention efforts. The study involves analyzing existing data and samples from PLCO participants to validate ATS as a mortality predictor.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, ATS could improve how doctors identify high-risk individuals and tailor interventions to prevent alcohol-related deaths.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown ATS to outperform standard tests in predicting heavy drinking and mortality in certain groups, supporting furtherValidation.
Where this research is happening
-
Bd Holding, INC.
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Philibert, Robert a — Bd Holding, INC.
- Study coordinator: Philibert, Robert a
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.