The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $698,349 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to The Pennsylvania State University, doing business as Penn State, to develop an integrated multiplexed diagnostic assay targeting fusion lipoproteins and cardiolipin for the rapid detection of treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies in syphilis patients. The goal is to create a point-of-care test that can simultaneously detect and semi-quantify both treponemal and nontreponemal antibodies to provide a definitive diagnosis of active syphilis infection within 10 minutes, an improvement over existing rapid syphilis tests that only detect treponemal antibodies. The project leverages ultra-sensitive electrochemical detection using 2D nanomaterials like graphene to enable this innovative diagnostic approach, which could significantly enhance clinical decision-making and treatment for rising syphilis cases in the U.S.
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