Description of Collaborative Activity: |
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) co-chairs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Working Group on Point of Care (POC) Diagnostics. This group of government and private partners is working to identify and collaborate on projects to develop diagnostic tests for low resource areas. One area of focus is to leverage resources for the development of a rapid POC diagnostic test for viral infections such as HIV or influenza. NIBIB hosted a working group session on March 30, 2017, that focused on patient access to health diagnostics. Ideas from this session were presented at the larger NIH-Gates Foundation meeting on June 30, 2017, hosted by NIH. In March 2020 the Tech Accelerator Challenge for Global Health (NTAC) was launched by NIH and the Gates Foundation. Through this Challenge, NIBIB offered $1,000,000 in prizes to reward and spur the development of platform concepts and prototypes of non-invasive, multiplexed diagnostic technologies for sickle cell disease, malaria, and anemia, diseases with high global and public health impact. NIBIB awarded six winners (https://www.nibib.nih.gov/ntac-challenge-winners) a total of $1,000,000 in prizes in 2020. Other ICOs partnered with the NIBIB to include NIH Office of the Director; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease; National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; and the Fogarty International Center (https://www.nibib.nih.gov/NIH-Technology-Accelerator-Challenge). On October 30, 2020, the outcomes of NTAC were presented at the POC Diagnostics Working Group meeting that informed a Report which was presented at the 7th Annual Bill and Melinda Gates Consultative Workshop held on November 9 and 10, 2020. |
Type of Collaborative Activity: |
Committee, Advisory Group, or Work Group
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