Dissemination of Point-of-Care HIV/AIDS Diagnostics in Resource-Limited Settings
Official title: Dissemination Core - The Center for Innovation in Point-of-Care Technologies for HIV/AIDS and Emerging Infectious Diseases at Northwestern University (C-THAN)
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11385937 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A national center in HIV/AIDS diagnostics aims to speed up practical, real-world testing by sharing know-how and fostering partnerships to bring better point-of-care tests to people living with HIV in low-resource settings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 11, 2018 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $262,358 |
| NIH project number | 7U54EB027049-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385937 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals living with HIV and patients in low-resource communities where point-of-care diagnostics are needed.
✕Less likely to help
Communities without access to POCT resources or where the technology fails to integrate into local care pathways may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This grant funds a Dissemination Core to spread proven point-of-care diagnostic technologies for HIV/AIDS and emerging infections. It emphasizes partnerships across technology developers, clinicians, regulators, and industry to adapt tools for low-resource environments. The work builds on years of needs assessments and training to ensure diagnostics are usable, affordable, and scalable in real-world settings. The focus is on translation from research to practice, including regulatory and commercialization aspects, to benefit patients directly. Northwestern University leads the effort with an established track record in POCT needs assessments across many countries.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients in low-resource settings could access faster, more accurate HIV and infectious disease testing.
How similar studies have gone: Prior POCT needs assessments and dissemination efforts have informed product development and deployment in multiple countries, demonstrating practical benefits.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palamountain, Kara M — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Palamountain, Kara M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
An integrated mobile health program to reduce SAVA and mental health problems among female sex workers in Kenya
A new mobile health program aims to help female sex workers in Kenya avoid substance abuse, violence, HIV, and depression by delivering group therapy, online resources, and a peer discussion space.
-
FIOCRUZ HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit: advancing HIV prevention and treatment in Brazil
A Brazilian clinical trials unit led by Dr. Beatriz Grinsztejn is testing and speeding up new HIV prevention and treatment strategies to help people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk.
-
Breeding colony expansion to support HIV/AIDS research with rhesus macaques
A funding opportunity to expand a specialized Rhesus macaque breeding population to support HIV/AIDS research at Tulane’s primate facility.
-
HIV Resilience Observatory in a rhesus macaque colony expansion
A program to build a rhesus macaque breeding colony and use AI-powered monitoring to study why some HIV/AIDS outcomes differ among individuals with similar backgrounds.
-
Indoor-Outdoor Housing Expansion to Support HIV/AIDS-Related Research
A HIV-focused project at a primate research center will use new indoor/outdoor housing and AI-assisted monitoring to study why people with similar backgrounds can have very different HIV outcomes.
-
Hearing changes in people with HIV and in people without HIV in Tanzania
This project follows people living with HIV and similar individuals in Tanzania to see how hearing and brain function relate over time and whether hearing tests can help predict cognitive changes.
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.