FEND-TB: Accelerating TB Diagnostics and Drug Susceptibility Testing
Official title: FEND-TB
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11601675 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi‑institution collaboration will test new TB diagnostic tools and rapid drug-susceptibility tests to improve detection and treatment for people of all ages, including children and those with hard-to-diagnose TB.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $196,955 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI190528-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11601675 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People of any age with suspected TB or known exposure, including children and those with extrapulmonary or subclinical TB, in settings where TB testing is needed.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in settings without access to the new diagnostic tools or where tests are not applicable may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project brings together experts from Rutgers Biomed and Health Sciences and global partners to evaluate and optimize new TB diagnostic platforms and DSTs. It focuses on improving case detection and identifying drug resistance quickly to guide effective treatment. The effort considers real‑world challenges like sample processing, test sensitivity, cost, and usability across different TB disease states. The work aims to generate unbiased evaluations that help manufacturers and clinicians choose better tests for diverse patient populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get faster, more accurate TB diagnoses and appropriate treatments sooner, improving outcomes and reducing transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Recent diagnostic advances prompted by the COVID era have spurred new TB tests; this project emphasizes rigorous, unbiased evaluation of these tools in real clinical contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ellner, Jerrold J. — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ellner, Jerrold 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.