PREcision meDIcine for CriTical care (PREDICT)-Power Blade: Early Sepsis Severity RNA-based Marks at the point-of-need

A recent study estimates nearly 49 million incident cases of sepsis and 11 million sepsis-related deaths in 2017 worldwide. Mortality for patients with severe sepsis in critical care units is very high. Early identification and intervention are very important to improving outcomes, but diagnosis of this complex disease – with variable symptoms and signs – is difficult.

This project will advance and validate a new lab-on-chip tool that can be used at bedside for a rapid diagnosis. The PREDICT-PB device performs RNA extraction from whole blood and then uses digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) to detect specific RNA ‘markers’ of sepsis in less than 2 hours. 

Dr. dos Santos and her research team have already developed and validated the appropriate RNA markers and demonstrated that the PREDICT-PB device is ready to be tested in a prospective clinical trial for use in the clinic with patients suspected of having sepsis. This study will determine the device’s accuracy and the feasibility of its use at the bedside.