Miniature tandem ion mobility detector for portable drug testing
Official title: Miniature Ion Mobility Detector for Compact Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Novel Psychoactive Substances
Funded at Lc Acquisition LLC · NIH-11286662 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, easy-to-use detector that combines two ion mobility stages to help identify trace amounts of new psychoactive substances in urine with minimal sample prep.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 1 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lc Acquisition LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $313,721 |
| NIH project number | 1R43DA064719-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11286662 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals undergoing substance use disorder testing or treatment monitoring where trace detecting of illicit substances would impact care.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not exposed to or using the specific substances targeted by this assay may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to build and test a compact IMS/IMS detector that can fit into a portable liquid chromatography system used for drug testing. It focuses on achieving high sensitivity and selective identification of substances like fentanyl and xylazine at very low levels. By pairing tandem IMS with field-induced fragmentation, the device will produce richer mobility spectra to confirm which compounds are present. The team brings together experts in capillary LC and miniaturized IMS to overcome current limitations of lab-based MS/MS. If successful, the system could enable faster, on-site screening of emerging psychoactive substances with less equipment and training than traditional methods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, clinicians and investigators could rapidly screen for dangerous substances in urine at low levels using a portable device.
How similar studies have gone: Previous LC-MS/MS methods are sensitive but require large equipment; this project proposes a smaller, portable alternative with demonstrated high sensitivity.
Where this research is happening
-
Lc Acquisition LLC
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Milton L. — Lc Acquisition LLC
- Study coordinator: Lee, Milton L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Developing a compact system for drug screening in treatment centers
This study is working on a new, smaller device that helps quickly test for drugs in treatment centers, making it easier for doctors and healthcare workers to get fast and accurate results for patients who need help.
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.