SUMMARY - OVERALL
The Center for Innovation in Point-of-Care Technologies for HIV/AIDS and Emerging Infectious
Diseases at Northwestern (C-THAN) proposes to remain a member in the Point-of-Care Technologies
Research Network (POCTRN) as a Technology Research and Development Center (TRDC). C-THAN will
catalyze innovation in diagnostic technologies through a model that enhances complementary strengths to
build multidisciplinary partnerships across technology platforms, clinical, regulatory and commercialization
domains with a specific focus on HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases in low- and middle-income
countries (LMICs). The C-THAN structure will incorporate clinical, and user needs in the development process
while providing expertise and resources to address early barriers to technologic development, validation, and
commercialization. The scope of work entails: 1) assessment of unmet clinical needs in POC testing for
HIV/AIDS, its co-morbidities, and emerging infectious diseases; 2) develop relevant solicitation topics to
address unmet clinical needs; 3) award and manage sub-award projects made by C-THAN; 4) collaborate with
relevant scientists, physicians, researchers and engineers; 5) develop essential technical, clinical, industrial
and regulatory partnerships; 6) conduct clinical studies and/or provide access to specimens for validation
testing of prototype devices; and 7) create training opportunities for technical developers and other
stakeholders related to the development of POC and home-based devices. The range of technologies will
include POC devices for detection of infection and monitoring of HIV/AIDS and its common potentially fatal co-
morbidities including tuberculosis (TB), non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C
(HCV) and HIV-associated malignancies. Furthermore, emerging, and re-emerging infectious diseases will be
addressed by applying our strategy of addressing the urgent diagnostic need of POC testing for SARS-CoV-2
and other emerging infections such as mpox virus, Ebola, Lassa Fever, and Rift Valley Fever, among others.
The United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) has set the ambitious goal of achieving a 95%
detection rate for HIV, placing 95% of those individuals on treatment, and achieving 95% viral suppression in
those that are treated. The major premise of this renewal proposal is that these goals will not be met without
augmenting the current diagnostic platforms for HIV, its co-morbidities, and emerging infectious diseases with
POCs that are affordable, rapid, and easy to use in LMICs requiring minimal skill and maintenance. An
emphasis will be directed to specific technologic domains by establishing four working groups (WG) in
molecular, lateral flow, synthetic biology, and product engineering. We will leverage the dynamic and
productive collaborations established by Northwestern in Africa at nine academic centers in Nigeria, Mali,
Senegal, Tanzania, and South Africa.
