Rapid bead-based TB test to detect drug resistance
Nanoreactor beads for POC TB resistance testing
A fast point-of-care test using tiny beads to find TB bacteria and tell which antibiotics they resist for people with suspected tuberculosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257290 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have symptoms of TB, this project would use a small sputum sample to check for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and many drug-resistance mutations. The test combines special 'nanoreactor' beads with Blink Diagnostics' platform and uses digital and real-time PCR plus melting-temperature checks to spot hundreds of resistance mutations. The whole process is designed with integrated sample processing and fast thermal cycling so results could be available in about 30 minutes at the clinic. The team builds on prior TB molecular tests but aims to broaden the number of detectable resistance changes while keeping rapid, on-site use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with suspected or confirmed pulmonary TB who can provide sputum samples, including those with prior treatment or risk factors for drug resistance, would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without TB symptoms, those with extrapulmonary TB who cannot provide sputum, or those unable to visit testing clinics may not benefit from this test.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let clinicians choose effective TB medicines at the first visit instead of waiting days or weeks for results.
How similar studies have performed: Existing molecular tests like Xpert have successfully detected common TB resistance mutations, but this approach is newer in combining very broad mutation coverage with 30-minute point-of-care results.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alland, David — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Alland, David
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 below.