Center for Point-of-Care Technologies Research for Sexually Transmitted Diseases

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The need to develop acceptable, available Point-of-Care-Tests (POCT) for identifying Sexually Transmitted diseases (STDs) in at-risk populations is significant. In the United States, 5 of the top 10 reportable diseases are STDs and, per year, there are >18 million new STDs that cost >$2 billion. Stigma, privacy, and confidentiality issues make STDs optimal for POCT at healthcare facilities and for over-the-counter (OTC) assays performed at home. We will develop a "Center for Developing and Testing of Point of Care Tests (POCT) for STDs" with Cores that will conduct in-house clinical testing of POC devices, collaborate with scientists and engineers on exploratory technology development projects, complete a clinical needs assessment among STD healthcare professionals, provide training to technology developers on clinical issues pertaining to STD POCT, and provide an administrative structure to ensure that our Center achieves its goals. For Core 1, we will provide expert testing laboratory facilities for testing newly developed POCT assays. We have extensive experience validating new assays. We will also test unique methods of home-delivering OTC assays to end users, via the Internet, as well as novel approaches for measuring acceptability and accuracy of OTC-type assays in primary care settings. For Core 2, we will provide grants to scientists to develop new assays, as well as utilize the molecular and basic scientific expertise of our Center's investigators in selecting appropriate applications. We will insure that Cores 3 and 4 work in an integrated fashion to provide the needs assessment, results of which will reach scientists in the technology community and instruct them toward developing assays that will be meaningful, with regard to sensitivity and specificity, and positively influence public health. For Core 5, we will provide an effective management structure for a complex Center, the integration of all Core activities, responsiveness to members of the research community wishing to access the Center, and provide administrative services to the POCT Center. We will implement five Cores that complement each other and work with other Centers in the NIBIB POCT Research Network to facilitate transitions from prototype development through in-house pilot testing, by ensuring that such assays' specifications and qualifications have scientific merit that is sufficient for future clinical trials and FDA submission.