Fast, easy, ultra-sensitive KRAS blood test using CRISPR and microscopy
Official title: Rapid, simple, and ultrasensitive quantitation of KRAS ctDNA at the point of care using CRISPR/Cas amplification and digital resolution biosensor microscopy
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11160539 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds a quick, simple blood test to find tiny amounts of KRAS mutations in people with cancer so doctors can choose treatments and monitor response.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $284,865 |
| NIH project number | 5R33CA272271-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11160539 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with cancers that commonly carry KRAS mutations (for example pancreatic, colorectal, or some lung cancers) or patients whose treatment decisions depend on KRAS status.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not involve KRAS mutations or who require full genomic profiling beyond KRAS changes may not benefit directly from this test.
What this research studies
From your perspective, this work is creating a point-of-care blood test that looks for KRAS gene changes in plasma using a new AC3 method that pairs CRISPR/Cas amplification with a photonic crystal biosensor and digital microscopy. The goal is to detect very low levels of circulating tumor DNA so results could be available during an office visit rather than waiting for complex lab sequencing. Researchers will test the assay's sensitivity, accuracy, and ease-of-use and compare it to current laboratory methods. If the test meets performance goals, it would be validated for clinical use and for monitoring treatment over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the test could let clinicians pick targeted therapies faster and track remission more often using a simple clinic blood draw.
How similar studies have gone: Liquid biopsy methods and CRISPR-based molecular diagnostics have shown promise in research settings, but a point-of-care KRAS ctDNA test combining photonic crystal biosensors and digital counting is largely novel and not yet proven in routine clinical care.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cunningham, Brian T. — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Cunningham, Brian T.
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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.