Fast, point-of-care test for Kaposi's sarcoma in sub-Saharan Africa
Official title: Rapid Sample-to-Answer Diagnosis of Kaposi's Sarcoma Across Sub-Saharan Africa using KS-COMPLETE
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-11384056 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This will create a fast, easy skin-biopsy test that tells patients in sub-Saharan Africa whether they have Kaposi's sarcoma in about an hour.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | June 10, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $147,547 |
| NIH project number | 3U01CA269199-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384056 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with suspicious skin lesions who are willing to provide a small punch biopsy at participating clinics in sub-Saharan Africa are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without skin lesions, those with only internal (visceral) Kaposi's sarcoma, or patients outside participating clinic locations may not benefit directly from this biopsy-based test.
What this research studies
You would have a small skin punch biopsy processed by a compact system onsite instead of sending samples to a distant lab. The device will break the biopsy into tiny "micro-cores" and run a DNA-based LAMP test on a portable platform called TINY to detect the Kaposi's sarcoma virus (KSHV). The team will develop and manufacture the KS-COMPLETE kits and validate them at several clinics across sub-Saharan Africa to confirm accuracy and reliability. The goal is to give you a reliable result in roughly 60 minutes and remove long, manual sample-preparation steps.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let patients receive a reliable Kaposi's sarcoma diagnosis during a single clinic visit, enabling faster treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Large prior studies have shown KSHV DNA in skin biopsies can accurately indicate KS and direct-to-LAMP methods have worked for other sample types, but applying a direct-to-LAMP approach to skin punch biopsies is a new advance.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Erickson, David Carl — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Erickson, David Carl
Related research
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Precision 3D Imaging to Monitor Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
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Precision 3D Imaging to Track Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
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Rapid, bedside KS diagnosis in Africa with KS-COMPLETE
A fast, point-of-care test using skin biopsies to diagnose Kaposi’s sarcoma in sub-Saharan Africa, helping patients get results in about an hour.
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Kaposi Sarcoma in Africa: ART Era Research Network
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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.