Redbud NA1: a compact system to make reliable DNA/RNA extraction at scale
Official title: Redbud NA1 transfer to manufacturing
Funded at Redbud Labs, INC. · NIH-11262007 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-friendly project aims to move a small, automated nucleic acid extraction device into large-scale production to help disease surveillance work better, especially in field and resource-limited settings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Redbud Labs, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 22, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $956,224 |
| NIH project number | 1SB1AI191998-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11262007 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient enrollment; this is a device-focused manufacturing project.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or immediate clinical benefit in this phase.
What this research studies
This NIH SBIR project focuses on turning the Redbud NA1 sample prep platform into mass-manufactured products so researchers and public health teams can more reliably purify nucleic acids from many samples. The effort targets high-quality extraction that supports qPCR and sequencing for epidemic surveillance, while addressing quality, cost, and production capacity. By moving from prototype to manufacturing, the project seeks to deliver a robust, compact system suitable for diverse environments, including field and high-containment contexts. The work is designed to empower laboratories with a scalable tool to enable faster, more consistent data generation for monitoring disease threats.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable widespread, reliable nucleic acid extraction in places with limited infrastructure, improving turnaround times for disease surveillance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous prototypes exist; this project advances toward mass production, which has shown benefits in similar SBIR-developed devices.
Where this research is happening
-
Redbud Labs, INC.
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fisher, Jay Kenneth — Redbud Labs, INC.
- Study coordinator: Fisher, Jay Kenneth
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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.