Lately, Multiplexed technologies have grown in popularity in the Infectious Disease Dx space, more so in screening/rapid diagnosis of STI/HIV. These diverse technologies are complex and multi-faceted: from deployment at the point-of-care in outreach settings to tertiary lab settings; and from screening for one infection to many, they appeal to all stakeholders of health care systems and are preferred by patients(end users) alike. This webinar will outline 15 years of work on Multiplexed Dx. We will translate the state-of-the-art evidence for Multiplexed technologies, the challenges faced with their deployment, and the opportunities they present in screening and treating multiple infections rapidly and bring patients to care, locally, nationally and internationally. This webinar will be presented in English.
Learning objectives:
- Introduce the interesting concept of “Multiplexing.”
- Understand evidence in favor of “biomarker vs. platform technologies vs. AI enabled platform and biomarker technologies.”
- Share progress on evaluations/deployment, across national and international settings.
- Outline the Future of Multiplexing for STI/HIV.
Speaker
Dr. Nitika Pant Pai MD, MPH PhD
Professor, Department of Medicine at McGill University Senior Scientist, MUHC Research Institute, Montreal, Canada
Nikki is a global health expert in point-of-care and digital health for STI/HIV and sexual and reproductive health. She has experience in Canada, the US, South Africa, and India health settings. Her Global research program improves service delivery for HIV/STI with point-of-care diagnostics and connected digital solutions, aiming to improve the health of equity-seeking populations worldwide. The CIHR, FRSQ, NIH, Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, and ICIMPACTs have funded her program. She has published in the Lancet, Lancet Microbe/HIV, JAMA Internal Medicine, PLos Medicine, Annals and holds nine patents/copyrights for her innovations. She has received many international and national awards for excellence in research and innovation. She has also served on global health working groups, national committees and has advised governments. She is an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada (2018), featured amongst Canadian women leaders in Global Health (2018, 2020), the Economist (2018), and a Women Lift Health member (2024).
Moderator
Caroline E. Cameron, PhD
Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria
Dr. Caroline Cameron is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Victoria in Victoria BC, Canada, and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. She is President of IUSTI-Canada, and President of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Foundation. Her research lab is internationally
funded by NIH, CIHR, NSERC, and Open Philanthropy, and her research team focuses on diagnostic and vaccine development for infectious and congenital syphilis, with prioritization of partnerships with clinical and biotech collaborators to ensure research discoveries can be translated into clinical products. An additional focus for Dr. Cameron and her research team is the training of the next generation of scientists in the syphilis research field.