Smartphone-mounted microscope for faster malaria diagnosis in Uganda
Official title: Automated Mobile Microscopy for Malaria Diagnosis and surveillance in Uganda
Funded at Makerere University College of Health Sciences · NIH-11159846 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will use a low-cost 3D-printed adapter and smartphone-based AI to quickly detect malaria from blood smears for patients in Uganda.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Makerere University College of Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kampala, Uganda) |
| Project start | September 18, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $240,268 |
| NIH project number | 5U01EB035483-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159846 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with suspected malaria who can provide a finger-prick blood sample at participating clinics in Uganda would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without access to participating clinics or microscopes, those with infections not visible on blood smear, or those needing immediate emergency care may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you go to a clinic with fever, researchers would attach a smartphone to a microscope using a 3D-printed adapter to take pictures of your blood smear. An AI image-analysis model would look for malaria parasites and return rapid results to the clinic. The team will test and refine these models and the mobile setup in real clinic and field settings and compare results to standard lab microscopy. The aim is a simple, affordable screening tool clinics can use for diagnosis and local surveillance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could speed up and lower the cost of malaria diagnosis, reduce misdiagnosis, and improve local disease tracking.
How similar studies have gone: Lab-based work and several pilot projects using smartphone microscopy and AI have shown promise, but fully field-tested, widely deployed solutions remain limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Makerere University College of Health Sciences
Kampala, Uganda Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nakasi, Rose — Makerere University College of Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Nakasi, Rose
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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.