The college of engineering and computer science at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), in collaboration with FAU's Schmidt College of Medicine, has been awarded a three-year, $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the development of an automated HIV self-testing assay.
With the grant, FAU researchers hope to develop an affordable, disposable self-testing HIV-1 chip that can selectively detect HIV from whole blood samples. The researchers are aiming for an automated test that requires no refrigeration and can produce results within 40 minutes. They also said it will be sensitive enough to detect HIV during acute infection, treatment, and viral rebound, according to a press release issued by the university.
After a phase I review, another $1.3 million will potentially be awarded. An automated HIV self-test will increase access to HIV testing and improve treatment outcomes in any setting, according to the press statement.