The Mekong One Health Innovation Program (MOHIP) is a collaboration between the United States and researchers in the Mekong region to improve the health security system in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam while strengthening their One Health (human-animal-environment nexus) approach.
The project involves virtual training, including a week-long ‘Health Security, One Health and Zoonoses’ course for Mekong researchers and a series of monthly webinars related to health security with a One Health focus. The virtual training and webinars are essential to empower the local researchers and experts and sustain a long-term health security system in the region. The project is expected to foster stronger and sustained relationships between US and Mekong researchers and create a vibrant network that they will utilize to carry timely research on health security issues involving the One Health approach. Mekong researchers will learn about successfully applying new One Health tools to research health security issues in their region and apply their findings and resources to devise better health security solutions for the benefit of the whole region. Specifically, the project will fund six research projects for $30,000 each, proposed by Mekong researchers in areas and issues pertinent to their One Health and health security contexts.
Accurately identifying the cause of disease is essential for effective patient care. Researchers at the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, in collaboration with the Global Health Institute, are leveraging cutting-edge nanotechnology to develop rapid, affordable diagnostic tools that can be used in resource-limited settings.
A new diagnostic device using gold nanoparticles is being tested on Peruvian COVID-19 patients. This biosensor can detect SARS-CoV-2 in just 20 minutes using standard hospital equipment. While the device is still undergoing validation, including testing for emerging variants, it represents a promising step toward scalable, low-cost diagnostics. The approval process includes multiple research phases, starting with pilot studies and progressing toward FDA authorization and patenting.
For over seven years, The Global Health Institute has partnered with Dr. Evangeline Alocilja and the Biosensors Lab at MSU’s College of Engineering to combat tuberculosis. Together, we've developed a nanoparticle-based assay that detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum samples with accuracy comparable to the Gen-Xpert molecular test at a fraction of the cost. This innovation offers a powerful, affordable solution for early TB diagnosis in developing countries.
In Peru’s Amazon and coastal regions, GHI researchers studied the prevalence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes among women. The genotyping test helps physicians identify specific HPV strains, enabling timely treatment to prevent cervical cancer. Research findings show that HPV genotype distribution in Peru differs slightly from global patterns. These results were published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics in January 2021.
Led by Dr. Shane Sergent and a multidisciplinary team at GHI, this project uses years of pediatric anthropometric data to develop a mobile app version of the Broselow tape, a tool widely used by pediatricians to guide emergency treatment. The app is being adapted specifically for Latin American populations to ensure accurate drug dosing and treatment recommendations.
Michigan State University professor Terrie Taylor, D.O., is an internationally recognized expert in malaria and tropical diseases. She leads groundbreaking research in Malawi, where she spends six months each year treating patients and advancing the understanding of cerebral malaria.
Through the Blantyre Malaria Project, co-founded with Dr. Malcolm Molyneux, Dr. Taylor and her team have made major strides in pediatric malaria care. With support from Dr. James E. Potchen (MSU Radiology) and GE Healthcare, they installed Malawi’s first MRI unit, transforming both patient care and research capabilities.
The team is conducting an interventional clinical trial to evaluate treatment strategies for children with cerebral malaria and brain swelling. Patients are randomized to receive either standard care or immediate ventilatory support. In collaboration with Malawi’s Pharmacy, Medicine and Poisons Board, the team has secured approval to import 3% hypertonic saline, an osmotic agent used to reduce brain swelling.
Recent global progress in malaria prevention has shown that expanded access to proven tools can significantly reduce disease burden. Dr. Taylor’s work was recently featured in The Lancet, highlighting past achievements and future goals.
Dr. Taylor is currently leading an NIH-funded study titled The Intransigence of Malaria in Malawi, which explores hidden reservoirs, resilient mosquito vectors, and prevention challenges, ensuring continued innovation in the fight against malaria.
Dr. Taylor's work can be followed on her website.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, had a profound impact on global health systems and communities, leading to widespread loss of life and significant social and economic disruption. In response to this crisis, a team of Dr. Ruben Briceno of the MSU Global Health Institute, along with Peruvian Drs. Irma Luz Yupari-Azabache, Jorge Luis Díaz-Ortega, Nelida Milly Otiniano, and Susana Edita Paredes-Díaz, conducted a study to better understand which patients were most at risk of dying from the virus.
The research team analyzed the medical records of 2,000 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Their goal was to identify patterns among those who did not survive, using a range of clinical data including symptoms, lab results, and pre-existing health conditions. By applying statistical modeling techniques, they aimed to develop a tool that could help predict a patient’s likelihood of mortality.
Their findings revealed that the highest risk of death was associated with older male patients, particularly those over the age of 60, with blood type O positive. Many of these individuals also had chronic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Common symptoms included fever, fatigue, and difficulty breathing, while imaging often showed severe lung damage.
The most significant outcome of the study was the development of a predictive model that could estimate a patient’s risk of death with approximately 76% accuracy. This model incorporated a combination of factors, including age, specific symptoms (such as sore throat and productive cough), CT scan findings, and various blood test results (including hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and ferritin levels).
This research offers a valuable tool for healthcare providers, enabling earlier identification of high-risk patients and potentially improving outcomes through more targeted care and resource allocation.
Researchers at Michigan State University, led by Dr. Irene Xagoraraki, developed a wastewater-based epidemiology system to detect viral outbreaks before symptoms appear in individuals. By analyzing sewage samples from the metro Detroit area, in collaboration with the Great Lakes Water Authority and Detroit Water & Sewerage Department, the team successfully identified spikes in Hepatitis A and COVID-19 days before clinical cases were reported.
This method proved especially valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering early warning signals that could have helped hospitals prepare and public health officials implement containment measures. Unlike traditional diagnostic systems that rely on symptomatic individuals seeking care, wastewater surveillance captures community-wide data, making it a powerful tool for underserved areas with limited testing resources.
Traditional disease detection relies on individual testing, which is often impractical in low-resource settings. Wastewater surveillance offers a cost-effective, scalable alternative by analyzing community composite samples. This approach enables:
In 2022, the project was expanded to Trujillo, Peru, one of the countries most affected by COVID-19. The project aimed to detect not only SARS-CoV-2 but also other endemic viruses such as Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. Initial sample analyses revealed the presence of multiple viruses, varying by location. Continued collaboration with local institutions like UCV is expected to lead to joint publications and future grant opportunities.