Mobile AI-powered microscope to quickly spot parasites in wastewater
Official title: Mobile microscopy for rapid diagnosis of parasitic diseases in refugee settlements
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11624892 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI-enabled mobile microscope will be tested to quickly detect parasite eggs in wastewater from refugee settings to help protect public health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $53,994 |
| NIH project number | 3R21TW013229-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11624892 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are communities in rural or disaster-affected areas with decentralized wastewater systems and limited lab capacity, where rapid parasite detection could inform health responses.
✕Less likely to help
Populations in settings without parasite contamination or without access to wastewater surveillance infrastructure may see limited or no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops a field-ready, AI-assisted microscopy platform called NTDscope to identify parasitic contamination in wastewater. It uses real-world samples from Rohingya settlements to optimize detection in complex water matrices. The team will validate the tool in collaboration with local testing sites and adapt it for rapid, on-site use in disaster or rural areas. The approach aims to provide timely information that could guide public health actions in communities lacking centralized laboratories.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could enable faster monitoring of parasite spread in at-risk communities and support targeted interventions to prevent outbreaks.
How similar studies have gone: Prior rapid diagnostic tools for pathogens in water have shown promise, but this project pioneers field-deployable AI microscopy for parasites in human waste.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fletcher, Daniel a — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Fletcher, Daniel a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
SCAN: Standardized brain imaging for Alzheimer’s and related dementias
A nationwide effort to standardize brain imaging data in people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias so researchers can compare results and learn how to diagnose and track the disease.
-
Cerebellum’s role in thinking and behavior across tasks
This grant explores how the cerebellum helps people think, feel, and behave across different tasks, with a focus on understanding cognitive and affective processing in cerebellar disorders.
-
Genetic clues to how teeth form and replace themselves in sticklebacks
A study in a fish model aims to uncover the genetic factors that control how teeth form and keep renewing, with potential implications for human tooth regeneration.
-
California Abundant Birth Project: does guaranteed income during pregnancy affect birth outcomes and child development?
A government-backed program gives pregnant people in California monthly income to reduce stress, with researchers studying how this helps birth outcomes and early child development.
-
American-Asian Arbovirus Research and Enhanced Surveillance Center
A2CARES is a national program that brings together scientists across disciplines to improve detection, study, and response to arthropod-borne viruses affecting adults in the Americas and Asia.
-
Arboviruses, surveillance, and preparedness across Americas and Asia
A2CARES is a network of researchers studying arthropod-borne viruses to detect outbreaks quickly and improve diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments for adults in the Americas and Asia.
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.