NCI and other agencies funded research on detecting and treating cervical pre-cancer. Cervical cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), leads to disproportionate morbidity and mortality in low resource settings in the U.S. as well as in many LMICs. Finding efficient ways to detect and treat cervical precancer can reduce suffering. | Research in LMICs has shown that self-collected cervical swabs are as predictive in detecting the presence of HPV DNA as samples collected in the clinic by a health care provider. This finding allows women in remote rural areas and underserved settings to be screened for precancer and provided necessary follow-up. Further, research on cervical cancer treatment in LMICs has demonstrated the efficacy of portable devices to treat pre-cancer. | Self-sampling is more convenient for women, should reduce costs associated with late-stage cancer detection, and facilitates the ability to reach women and families in rural and under-served communities test for cervical cancer with less disruption to family and work life. Portable devices that can treat precancer can facilitate treatment in these settings and can potentially be cost-efficient while improving patient outcomes. |
NEI funded the development of
wearable tech for visually impaired students in Thailand. | The low-cost technology gives users a 3-D understanding of their surroundings, helping them navigate their community and prevent falls. | This innovation has the potential to help the more than 285 million visually impaired individuals around the world, enabling them to become more mobile, productive, and independent. |
NHLBI supported a study of a salt substitute in Peru to address
hypertension, the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. | Results proved that a population-based intervention replacing regular salt with a low-sodium, potassium-enriched salt substitute reduces blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension. | This intervention could be adapted to different settings and scaled-up to counter the high burden of elevated blood pressure observed worldwide. The U.S. could accommodate a similar salt substitution approach, for example in rural and urban school feeding programs, community kitchens or programs that assist the elderly. |
NHLBI is conducting a global, multi-country Phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug Mitapivat in patients with
sickle cell disease. | Mitapivat breaks new ground in the treatment of sickle cell disease by activating a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and restoring red cell health. | The drug is expected to become an excellent therapeutic option for managing pain and anemia for people with sickle cell disease, which affects 8 million people globally and 100,000 in the U.S. |
NIAID collaborated with scientists from the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to develop mA114 - a single monoclonal antibody used to treat
Ebola. | Commercially known as Ebanga™, this FDA-approved therapeutic antibody is now an effective treatment option for Ebola patients. The special formulation of this antibody product, which eliminates the need for freezer storage, makes it ideal for deployment in outbreak settings. | This treatment option is critical for preventing Ebola from reaching the U.S. again and treating Ebola patients in the U.S. if the virus arises here. |
NIDCD funded a trial using community health workers and mHealth technology to screen the
hearing of school children in rural Nicaragua. | Tablet-based hearing screening administered by minimally trained community health workers is feasible and effective in low-resource settings. In addition, this intervention kept patients engaged in the study longer with less loss-to-follow up than traditional hearing screening programs. | Lessons learned from this trial and subsequent work can be applied in low-resource settings around the globe, including in the United States where loss-to-follow-up in hearing screening programs can be unacceptably high. |
NIMH funded the development of the ENGAGE model in Mozambique, which focuses on integrating
mental health care into community settings. | The ENGAGE model – which involves interpersonal counseling, motivational interviewing, and safety planning – was shown to improve access to care by shortening waiting times and streamlining the initial screening processes for individuals seeking mental health services in low-resource urban and rural communities. | The ENGAGE mental wellness tool is being successfully used in New York City through a collaborative initiative between Columbia University and the New York State Office of Mental Health, with plans to expand to other U.S. cities. It is also being deployed in several Asian countries, South Africa, and Spain. |
NIEHS is supporting a long-term cohort study in Ecuador to better understand the neurodevelopmental effects of
agrochemical and pesticide exposures from childhood to adulthood. Ecuador has one of the highest concentrations of flower plantations in the Americas and a disproportionately high use of pesticides, some which are the same or similar to those used in the U.S. | Various types of pesticides were detected in the urine of adolescents and found to affect neurobehavioral performance, including attention, memory, and problem solving. These deficits were more common in children examined sooner after the harvest, suggesting that peak pesticide spray seasons may transiently affect neurobehavior followed by recovery during low pesticide-use periods. | The study provides evidence that pesticide exposure, particularly during peak pesticide-use, should be reduced to avoid declines in neurodevelopmental performance. This finding may help to reduce harmful agricultural exposures especially among children in the U.S. |
NIDDK has supported studies in Bangladesh and Malawi to develop potential treatments for
childhood malnutrition focused on supporting a healthy gut microbiome. | Scientists developed a growth-promoting treatment derived from nutrient-dense and locally available foods. This supplement provided both caloric and probiotic benefits needed to treat childhood malnutrition. Children consuming the dietary supplement showed a dramatic improvement in health as measured by their growth and neural development. Their gut microbiomes also resembled those of healthy children at their age. | Studies like these can inform better treatment options for childhood malnutrition globally, including in the U.S., where an estimated 3 million U.S. households with children experienced food insecurity. |
NIA-supported researchers have been studying a large family of approximately 6,000 blood relatives in Antiooquia, Colombia who are pre-disposed to early-onset
Alzheimer’s disease. | Past studies with this family have generated data related to early detection, tracking the development of the disease, and to inform the design of future Alzheimer's prevention trials. Recently, researchers have observed that family members with either one or two copies of a rare genetic variant (named Christchurch) may experience delay in the onset of mild cognitive impairment and may also protect against late-onset of the disease. | Approximately 7 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. The recent discovery of the Christchurch variant mutation and the protection that it confers may provide potential targets for therapeutic development for patients. |
NIBIB supported a research partnership between U.S. and African institutions around
point-of-care technologies for infectious disease. | The partnership led to the development of a tuberculosis sample collection device that improves efficiency, reduces rejection rates, and enhances diagnostic accuracy. | The device is being taken forward by a start-up company and has received regulatory approval to market in the U.S. and South Africa. |
FIC funded the development of a low-cost,
smartphone confocal microscope intended to improve diagnosis of Kaposi sarcoma, a type of cancer, in Uganda. | Investigators demonstrated the first ever use of a smartphone confocal microscope to image human skin
in vivo – enabling new procedures to visualize key cellular structures at the point of care. The smartphone device can be used to examine skin lesions in low-resource settings. Additional modifications to the device enable it to help diagnose various conditions in internal organs such as the cervix and esophagus. | A U.S.-based small business has leveraged the original FIC-funded platform to develop low-cost, portable, non-invasive skin cancer screening tools that can be used in a wide range of healthcare setting across the country. |