Quantitative field-deployable diagnostic

This pilot project addresses the critical lack of a simple, quantitative at‑home HIV‑1 viral load test. Existing lateral‑flow and isothermal assays are either insufficiently sensitive or too equipment‑dependent for decentralized HIV monitoring, limiting implementation of U=U‑based care. We will develop a closed‑tube, LAMP‑based assay that generates stable single‑stranded DNA and couples it to highly specific, sequence‑encoded detection chemistries. Aim 1 tests two novel modifications which will generate ssDNA products from a HIV‑1 gag/pol LAMP assay. Aim 2 systematically compares probe‑based methods to detect this ssDNA within a one‑pot reaction. Aim 3 implements a quantitative competition framework using an internal dsDNA reference to enable robust viral load measurement despite non‑specific amplification, with readout via nanoparticle‑mediated color changes. Together, these studies will establish feasibility and identify optimal components for a future low‑cost, at‑home molecular HIV‑1 viral load assay.