Diagnostics Development Services

NIAID’s Diagnostics Development Services program offers reagents, platform testing, and planning and design support to accelerate product development of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) for infectious diseases, from research feasibility through clinical validation.

Virology—Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick

The virology team focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of viral pathogenesis and advancing clinical approaches to assist in managing diseases. The team works with a range of high-consequence viral pathogens.

The team leverages fundamental methodologies, such as: 

Drug Screening—Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick

The drug screening team tests and characterizes novel compounds, drugs, and antibodies against numerous viruses in multiple cell lines under a variety of conditions. Compounds are evaluated in cell-based assays for inhibition of viral replication and reduction of virus yields, plaques, or cytopathic effect. In addition, recombinant reporter gene viruses are available as tools for antiviral screening.

Aerobiology—Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick

The aerobiology team develops aerosol animal models of disease caused by high-consequence pathogens. Using advanced inhalational technologies, this team provides high experimental reproducibility to ensure the best modeling possible. Aerosolization procedures are fine-tuned to achieve accurate and precise dosimetry. All work with high-consequence pathogens is conducted within animal biosafety level 4 (ABSL-4) containment laboratories at the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF‑Frederick).

Systems Biology Consortium Resources

The Systems Biology Consortium for Infectious Diseases is a community of systems biologists who integrate experimental biology, computational tools and modeling across temporal and spatial scales to improve our understanding of infectious diseases. Through collaborative efforts, scientists test and validate hypotheses that drive innovation and discovery. The Consortium seeks to develop strategies that predict and alleviate disease severity and ultimately provide solutions to the world's most important health challenges.

Therapeutic Development Services

The Therapeutic Development Services program offers a collection of preclinical services to support the development of products intended for use in the cure, mitigation, diagnosis, or treatment of disease caused by a pathogen or certain toxins.

This is one of several programs provided by NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases to support infectious disease product developers.

Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs) Services

The Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs), supported by the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID) since the 1960s, provide a ready resource for the conduct of clinical trials to evaluate promising vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics for infectious diseases. The sites are part of DMID's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC).

Vaccine Development Services

The Vaccine Development Services program offers a collection of preclinical services to support the development of vaccines intended for use in the investigation, control, prevention, and treatment of a wide range of infectious agents (other than HIV).

This is one of several programs provided by NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases to support infectious disease product developers.

Therapeutic Development Services - Interventional Agents

Therapeutic Development Services - Interventional Agents program provides services to facilitate preclinical development of therapeutics and new in vivo diagnostics for infectious pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and toxins. Services will be conducted at the appropriate regulatory compliance level dependent on the stage of product development.

Note: Devices are excluded.

In Vitro Assessment for Antimicrobial Activity Program

The In Vitro Assessment for Antimicrobial Activity program provides capability in a broad range of in vitro assessments to evaluate promising candidate countermeasures for antimicrobial activity against microbial pathogens and vectors, including those derived from clinical specimens.

This is one of several programs provided by NIAID's Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases to support infectious disease product developers.