SBIR TOPIC 010 - TECHNOLOGY TO FACILITATE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE EXPOSOME IN UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS FOR AD/ADRD STUDIES

"This SBIR project proposes to advance the homeRNA and homeAir technologies developed by the Theberge lab and commercialized by Seabright LLC to support large scale home sampling studies on older populations. Alzheimer's diseases and related dementias (AD/ADRD) have become a nationwide health emergency and the biggest source of spending for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The technologies developed will enable the collection of combined blood and air samples that can be sent back to a laboraotry for analysis at scales required to perform robust exposome studies. In particular, these technologies are patient-centric, convenient, and painless enabling reaching participants wherever they are located and during long timeframes commensurate with the development and progression of ADRD diseases. homeRNA and homeAir enable the collection and stabilization of key biomarkers used in research of ADRD disease. These type of technologies will support academic and pharmaceutical research on markers and triggers for these diseases and lead to the development of recommendations around lifestyle choices and medication to slow down their progression."