WHAT WE DO

Expand uptake of molecular tools for diagnosis of key zoonotic pathogens

We are evaluating innovative technologies to improve the feasibility and uptake of molecular diagnostic tests for zoonoses in low-resource settings. The evaluation will start with laboratory-based comparisons against reference standards, followed by prospective studies in hospital and rural clinic settings. Our focus is on making molecular diagnostics more accessible by developing cost-effective, low-complexity solutions. This includes a novel low-cost DNA extraction method, which eliminates the need for expensive commercial kits, and the use of freeze-dried qPCR kits, which require no cold chain and are cost-effective for implementation in sub-Saharan Africa. We will also assess point-of-care molecular diagnostics using portable platforms that simplify testing in field settings.