Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a $427,625 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective February 6, 2026 through January 31, 2028. This award supports the development of a novel lateral flow strip assay (LFSA) device designed to provide rapid point-of-care diagnostic testing for herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. The project addresses critical diagnostic gaps by developing an antigen-based detection system capable of differentiating between HSV-1 and HSV-2 strains and detecting central nervous system (CNS) complications through serum analysis—a significant advancement over current testing methods that rely on nucleic acid testing (qPCR) or serological approaches with documented sensitivity limitations.

The research leverages cell surface glycans, specifically heparan sulfate proteoglycans that HSV utilizes for cellular binding and entry, to create a more sensitive and accessible diagnostic platform. The project builds upon the awardee's previously published research demonstrating successful application of similar glycan-based capture technology for SARS-CoV-2 detection. By enabling rapid, sensitive, and accurate HSV diagnosis in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals without invasive procedures, this diagnostic innovation directly supports public health objectives of preventing viral transmission and improving clinical outcomes for patients with HSV infections.