Rapid blood test to detect many bloodstream infections
Official title: Highly Multiplexed Single Molecule Tethering
Funded at Scanogen, INC. · NIH-11139424 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A fast blood test that finds many different germs directly from whole blood for people with suspected bloodstream infections or sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scanogen, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $999,828 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI179310-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11139424 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients (hospitalized adults or children) with suspected bloodstream infection or sepsis who can provide a blood sample for testing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with infections confined to a non-blood site, or those whose pathogens are at undetectable levels due to prolonged antibiotic treatment, may not benefit from this test.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a device that can identify the exact germ causing a bloodstream infection directly from a small blood sample in about 70 minutes using a single-molecule tethering method that does not require culture or PCR. The team will expand an existing test that already detects 13 microbes at very low levels to cover more than 99% of organisms that cause bloodstream infections. They will package the test into a disposable cartridge processed by an easy-to-use desktop instrument for use in hospitals or local labs. In clinical use you would provide a routine blood draw and the instrument would automatically analyze the sample and report which pathogen is present.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors identify the bloodstream pathogen much faster so they can start the right antibiotic sooner and reduce delays in life-threatening infections.
How similar studies have gone: Some rapid direct-from-blood molecular tests have shown promise, but this amplification-free single-molecule tethering approach is novel and aims for broader, faster, and more sensitive multiplex detection.
Where this research is happening
-
Scanogen, INC.
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Celedon, Alfredo Andres — Scanogen, INC.
- Study coordinator: Celedon, Alfredo Andres
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.