Detecting steroid use in young athletes using a new blood test
Official title: Meeting the cost and privacy demands for detecting Anabolic Androgenic Steroid doping in youth athletics with rationally designed nuclear receptor BioAssays
Funded at Xcellassay, INC. · NIH-11004021 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new blood test that can easily check if young athletes are using steroids, making it simpler and cheaper than the usual urine tests, to help keep sports fair and safe for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Xcellassay, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $306,872 |
| NIH project number | 1R43DA059306-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11004021 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include young male athletes under 21 who may be at risk of using anabolic steroids.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not involved in athletics or are over the age of 21 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a novel blood test to identify the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) among youth athletes. The approach utilizes a high-throughput bioassay that requires only a small blood sample, making it more accessible for amateur athletes compared to traditional urine tests. By measuring androgen levels and their effects on steroid synthesis, the study aims to provide a reliable method for detecting illicit steroid use in a cost-effective manner. This could help in monitoring and preventing steroid abuse in youth sports.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved detection of steroid use in young athletes, promoting fair play and health safety in sports.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown success in developing similar bioassay methods for detecting steroid use, indicating a promising approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Xcellassay, INC.
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schaufele, Fred J — Xcellassay, INC.
- Study coordinator: Schaufele, Fred J
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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.