At-home HIV fingerprick test that finds tiny amounts of the p24 protein
Official title: Nanopore-Based HIV Self-Test for Ultrasensitive p24 Quantification in FingerPrick Blood
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11470792 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is building a fingerprick at-home HIV test that uses nanopore sensing to detect very small amounts of the p24 protein so infections can be caught earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | January 18, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $672,780 |
| NIH project number | 4R33AI174295-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470792 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at risk of HIV exposure or anyone who wants quick, private at-home screening for recent infection using a fingerprick blood sample would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot or will not perform a fingerprick blood test, or those who need immediate clinical confirmation rather than a screening self-test, may not benefit directly from this device.
What this research studies
You would give a small fingerprick blood sample that the device analyzes with nanopore technology to measure the HIV p24 antigen at very low levels. The team aims to make an antigen test sensitive enough to detect early (acute) infections without complex lab amplification. Researchers will refine the assay, simplify sample handling and the user readout, and compare results to current rapid and lab-based tests. The goal is a private, easy-to-use self-test that can find infections sooner than standard antibody-only home tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let people detect HIV infections earlier at home than current antibody self-tests, which may reduce unknowingly transmitted infections.
How similar studies have gone: Traditional antibody rapid tests are common but miss early infections and lab-based nucleic acid tests are sensitive but require equipment, while applying nanopore sensing to p24 antigen is a novel approach with limited prior clinical proof.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Chang — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Liu, Chang
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.