A Nanopore Biosensor for Leveling MTB Antigens in Blood

Purpose of the study: The inability to obtain diagnostically useful sputum specimens, or the inability to analyze non-sputum specimens, is a significant contributor to poor diagnostic sensitivity of current TB assays, leading to the WHO to call for the development of non-sputum-based biomarker or biosignature tests capable of detecting all forms of TB. In this proposal, we describe a strategy to address a key unmet need for a rapid, affordable, and quantitative blood-based assay to diagnose TB and monitor treatment responses.

Primary objectives: 
Aim 1. Develop a sensitive and specific QuantiPep TB assay suitable for resource-limited settings:
Aim 2. Validate Mtb antigen-derived peptides for TB diagnosis in a well-characterized cohort of adults and children with serially collected clinical, radiological and bacteriological data.
Aim 3. Evaluate how serum levels of Mtb antigens change in adult PTB cases in during anti-TB therapy.