Portable ion mobility device to speed up diagnosis of multiple diseases (including Alzheimer's)
Official title: Development of a Portable Ion Mobility Spectrometer For Efficient Diagnosis of Various Diseases
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11377633 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, field-ready device using advanced ion mobility technology to quickly identify disease biomarkers in patient samples, potentially helping early and accurate diagnoses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 22, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $373,743 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147225-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377633 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with suspected Alzheimer’s disease/dementia or other conditions where biomarker-based diagnosis is applicable.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose condition is not biomarker-driven or where the technology is not yet applicable may not benefit in the near term.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a portable high-resolution ion mobility spectrometer that can detect disease biomarkers with minimal sample preparation. By combining TW-SLIM technology with drift-tube SLIM, the device should provide precise biomarker signatures and collision cross sections to improve accuracy. The goal is to enable rapid, cheaper, and accessible testing in diverse clinical settings, including resource-limited regions. If successful, this could shorten hospital stays and support timely treatment decisions for patients with Alzheimer’s-related conditions and other diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from faster, more accurate diagnoses using a portable, easy-to-use device.
How similar studies have gone: Similar high-resolution ion mobility approaches have shown promise in improving biomarker identification, though this portable application is an innovative expansion.
Where this research is happening
-
Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hamid, Ahmed Mohamed — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: Hamid, Ahmed Mohamed
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.