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Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network

The Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) was created to drive the development of appropriate point-of-care diagnostic technologies though collaborative efforts that simultaneously merge scientific and technological capabilities with clinical need. Additionally the Network provides parallel educational activities that advance evidence-based medical practice in point-of-care testing in critical care, primary outreach, and low-resource environments, including global health settings.

POCTRN was created in response to the recommendations made by participants of the April 2006 workshop, "Improving Health Care Accessibility through Point-of-Care Technologies" sponsored by the NIBIB; the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); and the National Science Foundation (NSF). This workshop assessed the clinical needs and opportunities for use of point-of-care technologies in primary care, the home, emergency medical services, and in developing countries, and highlighted state-of-the-science in sensors and microsystems, low-cost imaging, noninvasive monitoring, and telehealth/informatics.

Based on the recommendations made by workshop participants, the NIBIB released a solicitation entitled, "Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network" (RFA-EB-06-002) to support centers through a U54 mechanism to build expertise in the development of integrated systems that address unmet clinical needs in POC testing. A major aspect of the function of each Center is the creation of multidisciplinary partnerships necessary to move technologies from an early stage of development into clinical testing.

Each center within the POCTRN will perform or facilitate five different Core functions:

1. Conduct in-house clinical testing of prototype point-of-care devices.
2. Collaborate with physical scientists, biochemical scientists, computational scientists, and engineers on exploratory technology development projects.
3. Complete clinical needs assessments in areas anticipated to advance the field of point-of-care testing and disseminate this information to the technology development community.
4. Provide training to technology developers on clinical issues related to the development of point-of-care devices.
5. Provide an adequate administrative structure to ensure that the large, complex Center achieves its goals.

Each of the four awarded Centers will serve as a resource to the technology development and clinical communities in their respective areas, as well as coordinate activities across areas as a Network.

Opportunities for collaboration on exploratory technology development projects with each individual Center will be announced as each Center defines clinical needs in its respective health care area.

For more information, contact:
Brenda Korte, Ph.D.
Program Director, Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network
6707 Democracy Blvd
Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20892
301-402-1231 (Phone)
301-480-1614 (Fax)
E-mail: kortebr@mail.nih.gov

POCTRN Centers

Point-of-Care Center for Emerging Neurotechnologies (POC-CENT)
Fred Beyette, Ph.D. (University of Cincinnati)

Center for Point-of-Care Technologies Research for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Charlotte Gaydos, M.P.H., Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University)

Center for Point-of-Care Technologies for Disaster Readiness
Gerald Kost, M.D., Ph.D. (University of California, Davis)

Center to Advance POC Diagnostics for Global Health
Bernhard Weigl, Ph.D. (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH))