The Point-of-Care Technologies for Nutrition, Infection, and Cancer for Global Health (PORTENT) Center is a one-of-a-kind international network of clinical, training, and device development facilities with worldwide expertise in point-of-care diagnostics, their application and commercialization. Our integrated clinical and validation core facilities across four continents in the United States, Uganda, Ecuador, and India, can help advance point-of-care technologies for a broad range of populations, clinical samples, and with a unique set of users.  The PORTENT Center is unique in that it:

1. Focuses on primary health care globally.
2. Addresses the needs of the most vulnerable in the US and internationally.
3. Enables a broad range of diagnostic technologies to be validated on a global scale while simultaneously developing expertise and strengthening capacity domestically and internationally.

Through this opportunity, PORTENT will provide funding to teams developing point-of-care diagnostic technologies based on our criteria and those who need support for technology development, clinical validation, regulatory, commercialization/manufacturing, and clinical training to bring their product to market. Specifically, we aim to accelerate technologies that:

1. Are beyond the proof-of-concept stage and would benefit from clinical validation.
2. Have been validated or even commercialized domestically but want to expand reach and have impact internationally.
3. Have been developed/incubated by our international partners and show promise at addressing a market need locally or in the US.

For this opportunity the term, “diagnostic” should be considered broadly and inclusive of technologies that enable accurate screening, risk assessment, diagnosis, monitoring of response to treatment or intervention, and promotion of wellness and health at the point-of-care.

PORTENT is focused on supporting development, clinical validation, commercialization, and deployment of point-of-care technologies for nutrition, infection, and cancer for global health in locations where access to better diagnostics can have the largest worldwide impact.  We focus on technologies that address the primary needs of the most vulnerable in the U.S. and internationally.

To meet this need, our 2025 PORTENT RFP identifies the following specific criteria for funding:

1. Proposals must show direct responsiveness to our annual needs assessment consensus addressing a specific issue in Nutrition, Infection, or Cancer with a Global Health focus as described in the Needs Assessment and Areas of Interest section of this document. For technologies to be implemented in LMICs, a statement of relevance to US healthcare should also be described.  
2. In support of specific criteria 1, projects must identify an intended “setting of use” where their technology could have the greatest impact and describe:

   (i) How the technology is compatible with its intended “limited resource setting” of use which may include: home care settings, clinical settings, laboratory and primary care settings.
   (ii) Demonstrate a pathway towards effective linkage to clinical care, counselling, treatment or intervention if their diagnostic solution happens to be successful.
   (iii) How the technology and/or project is compatible with or may contribute to local manufacturing capacity.

3. Proposals must have sufficient proof-of-concept evidence that they are likely to be successful in further development through PORTENT. This typically means that projects must be at least at the TRL stage 3-5. Please reference CIMIT’s GAITS for more information.  Projects should outline their key performance metrics for success.
4. A successful outcome for a PORTENT project is achieving well-defined milestones that will allow it to advance towards a well-defined translational outcome. Proposals must identify these specific milestones at specific time points and describe how a successful outcome could advance the technology towards their proposed translational outcome.  Including evidence of consultations with and incorporation of input from a broad range of stakeholders is encouraged (e.g. ministries of health, payers, regulators, commercial partners, health care workers).  A description of how these local stakeholders have already been engaged or how they will be engaged is important.
5. Projects must identify the key barrier(s) to advancement and implementation of their technology. This may include (but should not be limited to): clinical validation, manufacturing, prototyping, regulatory, commercialization and market development, specific expertise needed.
6. The PORTENT Clinical Network core sites represent key parts of our center. All selected teams are expected to participate in the PORTENT Knowledge Transfer workshops and Lab-2-Market accelerator.  Details on these capabilities is available through the PORTENT website.  How can these resources help address some of these key barriers?

Due date for expressions of interest is currently TBD and when open should be submitted here. 

Total funds available: Approximately $500,000

Project Budget: Project budgets should be between $50,000 and $100,000 USD for a timeline of 12-month projects.  Projects that require clinical support should include the costs in their budgets (PORTENT staff can help estimate these costs for budgeting purposes).  Projects should budget sufficient funds to support expenses related to IRB approvals, and travel to attend the PORTENT Knowledge Transfer and L-2-M Bootcamp, held annually at one of our four core sites (i.e., United States, India, Uganda, Ecuador).  For budgeting purposes, teams can plan on these events being held in Kampala, Uganda in June 2026.

Number of projects anticipated: About 5-7 awards with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 in total costs for projects up to 12 months in duration.

Additional Awardee Requirements:

• Awardees are expected to review progress with the PORTENT Team monthly and provide progress reports at the 6-month and 12-month time points.  Awardees are required to use CIMIT’s GAITS to track progress at these monthly reviews.
• Awardees are expected to attend the PORTENT new project kick-off meeting and in-person PORTENT Annual Knowledge Transfer Workshop and participate in the Global Health POC Lab-2-Market program.

Additional Solicitation Policies:

• Animal studies and human clinical trials may not be proposed under this solicitation.
• Applications from all sources, including domestic or foreign, public or private, and non-profit or for-profit, will be considered. Awards under this solicitation may be made only to NIH-eligible applicants. Details regarding specific requirements can be found in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of the NIH Grant Awards. Foreign parties (i.e., governments, universities, corporations, or individuals) will be screened against the various U.S. government restricted party lists as required by NIH guidelines. 

All expressions of interest, full proposals, and affiliated documents must be submitted through the online system by the dates and times outlined in the timeline. Late applications will not be accepted. Proposals should not include information which could be considered proprietary.

Table 1 Key Solicitation Dates

Solicitation Release	TBD
Expressions of Interest Due	TBD
Invitations for Full Proposals	TBD
Full Proposals Due	TBD
Notification of Successful Applicants	TBD
Review Notification to All Applicants	TBD

Questions regarding this solicitation should be directed to portentcenter@cornell.edu.
Watch our Webinar about the 2024 Solicitation here

Q) Am I eligible to apply? 
A) Applications from all sources, including domestic or foreign, public or private, and non-profit or for-profit, will be considered. Awards under this solicitation may be made only to NIH-eligible applicants. Details regarding specific requirements can be found in the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of the NIH Grant Awards. Foreign parties (governments, universities, corporations, or individuals) will be screened against the various US government restricted party lists as required by NIH guidelines. For further information, please refer to section 1.5 of this solicitation. 

Q) Can I submit multiple applications? 
A) Yes, it is possible to submit multiple applications as long as the proposed technologies are independent. Please submit one application per technology. 

Q) Can we apply as a consortium (including manufacturers, NGOs or research institutes)? Who would be the lead applicant?  
A) Yes, including a consortium is encouraged. The primary performer of the project would be the lead applicant and should submit the application.  

Q) Does my/ our idea qualify for this funding opportunity?  
A) Please ensure that the proposed project/ technology meets the Specific Criteria for Funding, as stated in section 1.3 and is responsive to the Needs Assessment as stated in section 2 of our solicitation. 
Animal studies and human clinical trials may not be proposed under this solicitation. 

Q) What is the definition of Point of Care (POC) technology?
A) We are using the term POC broadly. Technologies that can provide a diagnostic answer quicker or in a rapid time frame as compared to traditional methods in home care, clinical, laboratory or primary care settings.

Q) If clinical trials are not allowed, what kind of clinical validation can be funded?
A) Validation on small numbers of samples, patients or users including but not limited to those that are accessible through our clinical network may be funded.

Q) Should I/we apply if the idea has no proof of concept?
A) If the idea has no proof of concept, please submit an EOI clearly explaining how the idea is revolutionary and addresses a compelling need. Please include a clear pathway towards commercialization within the duration of the award.

Q) Is disruptive technology acceptable?
A) Yes, disruptive technology is acceptable. However, in your EOI, please include proof of concept/ validation, and how the technology can be advanced towards commercialization.

Q) What rules govern the intellectual property (IP) agreements since the funded project could involve another funder who holds the IP?
A) Please refer to NIH Grant Policy Statement 18.4.2 Intellectual Property.

Q) Can the PORTENT project have an overlap with an existing or upcoming NIH SBIR Phase I or Phase II project? 
A) PORTENT is federally funded. Therefore, there cannot be overlapping tasks between two federally funded projects. We can certainly look at ways to support other areas of your project. In your application, please state clearly that you have SBIR funding and how the proposed project under PORTENT will be different.

Q) What is considered a resource limited setting?
A) Please refer to section 2.3 of this solicitation.

Q) What would be the award amount and duration? 
A) We anticipate funding 5-7 projects with budgets ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 in total costs for up to 12 months in duration. 

Q) When is the submission deadline and notification of results? 
A) TBD     

Q) How can I apply? 
A) Submit your application through the PORTENT POCTRN+ webpage.  

The regularly updated Global Burden of Disease data illustrates the top causes of mortality and morbidity, both in the U.S. and globally, along with their risk factors. Infectious Diseases and Cancer are responsible for millions of deaths every year globally and also accounts for several million disease adjusted life years lost. Cancers account for over 250 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and are the second ranked cause of disease burden globally. Similarly, infections, including the scourge of antibiotic resistance and sepsis, exact a heavy toll in terms of both qualities of life and lives lost both in the U.S. and internationally. Major infections including tuberculosis, HIV, enteric infections, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases collectively account for more than 400 million DALYs with the numbers much higher when COVID-19 is included. Many of the infections that we believed to have been controlled in certain parts of the world have re-emerged or become difficult to manage because of antibiotic resistance; new ones emerge with recent pan/epidemics such as those of SARS CoV-2, Ebola, and Zika viruses; continuing diseases such as Tuberculosis; and with climate change inflicting catastrophic damage to both lives and the public health infrastructure, the health community has to be prepared for other ones.

Nutritional deficiencies individually account for nearly 50 million DALYs. In addition, they are also one of the biggest risk factors for most of the other disease causes included. The interplay between nutrition and health is well established – poor nutrition predisposes to risk of disease as well as severity – and disease itself leads to worsening of nutritional status. The importance of nutrition cannot be overemphasized, given that nearly two-thirds of the population in the U.S. is obese or overweight, and an estimated 1 out of every 3 individuals globally has one or more micronutrient deficiencies, a number which may be substantially higher depending on setting. Today we recognize nutrition as one of the few truly ‘modifiable risk factors’ for health states. For example, the latest GBD analysis highlights nutrition-associated factors including healthy eating, diet diversity, maintaining a normal weight, high blood pressure and high fasting glucose levels, and lack of regular exercise, constitute most of the risk factors across low and high resource settings. Further, one-third of all premature deaths in the U.S., such as those due to non-communicable diseases (e.g., diabetes and obesity), are attributed to dietary risks (2). The global numbers are equally stark – deaths attributable to poor diets have grown by 15% since 2010, faster than the population growth, accounting for 26% of all adult deaths in a year, per the latest Global Nutrition Report.

A common thread to nutrition, infection, and cancer, is the key role of early detection. Early screening can inform interventions to optimize nutritional status most effectively in a simple low-cost manner. For example, determining vitamin A deficiency in children early in its course can be easily reversed relatively without lasting sequelae with supplementation; however, waiting for clinical signs and symptoms such as night blindness to manifest carries a hefty cost of greatly increased risk of mortality or permanent blindness. Detecting an infection early likewise is key to interrupting transmission as well as ensuring appropriate management along with antibiotic stewardship. Similarly, for many cancers, timely diagnosis is often the most critical factor for prognosis. These are the areas where POC technologies can have the largest and immediate impact. By providing actionable information in real time, POC technologies can truly transform the health care landscape around the world.

In resource-limited settings, many diagnostic tests are cost prohibitive and inaccessible given limited laboratory infrastructure. Patients frequently travel great distances for clinical care yet cannot access routine testing. Clinical management is often guided by recognition of clinical syndromes, which may be inaccurate resulting in either inadequate treatment or overtreatment. In the case of presumed bacterial infection, undertreatment can be fatal yet overtreatment can result in unanticipated antibiotic resistance. Nutritional deficiencies that predispose to infectious diseases may also not be recognized due to lack of symptoms. Therefore, in all three domains of nutrition, infection, and cancer, diagnosis remains the biggest gap in the cascade of care (from screening, diagnosis, and treatment) for many cancers in low resource settings thus precluding appropriate timely care. Even when facilities are available, personnel issues (particularly lack of trained pathologists) can delay diagnoses for long periods of time making it difficult to track down patients to return results. The combination of these factors means there is great potential to reduce morbidity and mortality through implementation of POC screening and diagnostic technologies and screening tests for infectious diseases, cancers, and nutritional deficiencies across all settings.

For 2025, the PORTENT center will consider a broad range of point-of-care diagnostic technologies for funding which address priorities in Nutrition, Cancer, and Infection with a Global Health impact as described this section. 

For this opportunity the term, “diagnostic” should be considered broadly and inclusive of technologies that enable accurate diagnosis, staging or severity of disease assessment, screening, monitoring of response to treatment or intervention, and promotion of wellness and health at the point-of-care. 

Areas of specific interest this year include, but are not limited to, the following:

Nutrition:

• Technologies that support the screening, prevention, and diagnosis of nutritional problems – including technologies that measure biomarkers of nutritional status, body composition, anthropometry, dietary assessment, and clinical nutrition; metabolic health; weight loss and management; and approaches to support nutrition (including weight management and dietary supplements).
• Projects that involve technologies that align with NIH priorities for nutrition (including assessment of dietary intake, dietary patterns, nutrition and health disparities in non-communicable diseases, nutrition in health and aging, nutrition in growth and development, and precision nutrition); and improving nutrition and health across the lifecycle are encouraged. 

Infection: Multiplexed screening/diagnostic assays for infections such as those diagnosing HIV and co-infections, acute febrile illness, neglected tropical diseases, and/or mosquito borne illnesses (e.g. Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya). Technologies that can additionally assess the antibiotic sensitivity of infectious agents are of particular interest.

Cancer: Technologies that broaden cancer screening, diagnosis, and risk stratification screening to community and clinic level, and in doing so addressing a neglected need of timely screening and promoting decentralization of diagnosis.  Specific interest in gastric, colorectal, lung cancers cervical, liver, and breast cancers.  This includes tests which screen for infectious agents known to be causative agent for some cancers (e.g. H. pylori, HPV 16-18, KSHV, and related).

Within the context of these PORTENT focus areas proposals which have alignment with the following three application spaces and/or technical areas are encouraged.

• Women’s Health: Proposals that address topics related to women’s health including health conditions and diseases that disproportionately affect women (including health disparities and women from populations that have historically been underrepresented in health-related research) and women’s health across the lifecycle (e.g., adolescence, preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond).
• Digital, AI & Connectivity: Solutions to support any aspect of risk stratification, clinical staging, clinical decision making, promotion of health and wellness and encouraging use of behavioral life-style interventions, for all/any combination of technologies. Technologies which promote connectivity with mobile networks to enhance data access to facilitate clinical decision making at the point of care are also encouraged.
• Wellness solutions with relevance to global health: The development and validation of technologies that can facilitate the integration of wellness (complementary and integrated health approaches) within point-of-care for conditions that enhance either diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases and/or associated symptoms, or promotion of whole person health, and well-being. Diagnostics related both to Western medicine as well as nationally authorized traditional systems of medicine are welcome.