Next-Generation Infectious Disease Diagnostics using Multiplexed Digital PCR
Official title: Next Generation Infectious Disease Diagnostics: Microfluidic-Free Gigapixel PCR with Self-Assembled Partitioning
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11333839 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new diagnostic approach aims to detect and quantify many pathogens at once, helping doctors choose the right treatment for infections of the lungs, brain, blood, and immune-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $629,850 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI176829-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333839 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with suspected infectious diseases where multiplex pathogen testing is used, including AIDS-related infections, CNS infections, and bacterial infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose infections are not caused by the tested pathogens or whose conditions do not require multiplex diagnostic testing may see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project from UCSF seeks to develop a highly multiplexed digital PCR method that yields exact pathogen concentrations, addressing limitations of current tests that often return only positive/negative results. By leveraging digital PCR, the approach should provide absolute titers for multiple organisms in a single assay, potentially reducing false positives and guiding targeted therapy. The work involves refining assay design, validation with clinical samples, and comparing performance against existing multiplex panels. If successful, clinicians could diagnose infections more accurately and prioritize appropriate interventions sooner. Patients with AIDS-related infections, CNS infections, and other bacterial infections may particularly benefit from faster, clearer results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive faster, more accurate diagnoses and more precisely targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Digital PCR has shown precise quantification benefits, but high-level multiplexing remains a challenge; this project aims to push beyond current limitations.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abate, Adam R. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Abate, Adam R.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Latin American Center for Emerging Infectious Disease Surveillance and Readiness
A regional collaboration in Peru and neighboring countries aims to strengthen early warning and monitoring for viruses that could jump from animals to people, helping communities prepare for outbreaks.
-
Center in Latin America to monitor emerging infectious diseases
A U01 grant supporting a collaboration between Peruvian and U.S. researchers to improve early detection and surveillance of regionally relevant viruses that could affect people, animals, and crops in Peru and neighboring areas.
-
Acanthamoeba as a modern model parasite to study infectious disease biology and mitochondria
A five-year project will define the mitochondrial proteins and pathways of Acanthamoeba castellanii to advance infectious disease biology and parasite metabolism.
-
IDEAL project helps predict vaccine response, infections, and asthma in early childhood
A Child-focused program will collect and share saliva, blood, and tissue samples from diverse infants to find biological patterns that predict how vaccines work, how respiratory infections occur, and who develops asthma.
-
Understanding how early-life immune development affects vaccine responses and asthma risk in children
This project uses lab-grown human immune cells from infants and young children to explore why some kids respond poorly to vaccines and are more prone to respiratory infections and asthma.
-
Multi-omic endotypes of vaccine response, respiratory infections, and asthma in children
A parent-friendly look at how early-life immune development shapes how kids respond to vaccines and stay free from lung infections and asthma, using advanced biological profiling.
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.