Point-of-care liver disease test with fluorescent nanosensors
Official title: Point of Care Diagnostics for Liver Disease using Fluorescent Nanosensors
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11399936 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A lightweight, easy test that uses fluorescent sensors on paper to detect liver fibrosis and cirrhosis at the point of care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $873,577 |
| NIH project number | 4R01DK121351-19 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399936 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include people with liver disease or risk factors for fibrosis who would benefit from rapid, point-of-care testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to point-of-care testing or with non-liver-related conditions may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a rapid, low-cost diagnostic test for liver fibrosis that can be used in clinics or remote settings. Researchers will design polymer sensors and pair them with machine-learning tools to interpret serum signatures. They will turn these sensors into a user-friendly lateral flow device to provide quick results from a patient's blood sample. The work builds on early findings that serum signatures can indicate liver damage and will optimize the system in solution before making a deployable test.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could get faster liver health assessments and timely treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that serum signatures can indicate liver fibrosis and that paper-based sensor platforms can be adapted for PoC tests, suggesting potential feasibility.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rotello, Vincent M. — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Rotello, Vincent M.
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.