# PHS2019-02 Omnibus Solic of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for SBIR Apps No Clinical Trial (Parent SBIR R43/4

> **NIH ALLCDC R44** · FIREBIRD BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES, LLC · 2022 · $485,197

## Abstract

Field Detection of arboviruses directly from mosquito traps
Firebird Biomolecular Sciences, LLC.
Abstract
 Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. In the US, mosquitoes are vectors for West Nile, many kinds
of encephalitis, and viruses arriving Latin America and Africa. In the developing world, they cause millions of
cases of disease and death each year. Routine insect spraying is not a "fix", as it leads to pesticide resistance,
encounters public opposition, and destroys beneficial insects. Thus, the EPA, CDC, ECDPC, and their
counterparts around the globe, strongly recommend surveillance before spraying. Florida law requires it.
 In Phase 1, we created (a) innovative technology to generate CO2 to attract mosquitoes, (b) innovative tech-
nology to collect viral RNA from the attracted mosquitoes, (c) data showing that collected RNA is stable under
Florida summer conditions for at least 3 days, (d) processes where captured viral RNA is amplified directly
without handling mosquitos or Qiagen RNA preps, and (e) reagents that allow robust multiplex amplification.
 These specs, which can transform the science and practice of arbovirus surveillance, attracted TrakITNow, an
innovator in instrument design. Its award-winning trap (Moskeet) counts and speciates mosquitoes, doing
everything short of collecting samples from the mosquitoes and determining if these hold arboviruses.
 This Phase 2 project will re-configure and metric the Phase 1 innovations to allow them, in Phase 3, to be
placed on Moskeet in two operational architectures (OA1 and OA2). A series of improvement and adaptations
will be evaluated using tightly crafted metrics in two Aims. Meeting these metrica will trigger a commitment by
TrakITNow to support Phase 3 funding to launch a combined product,
 Aim 1 will develop and metric Firebird's chemistry for an OA1 architecture that will convert Moskeet from a
trap-count-speciate-communicate product into a trap-count-speciate-sample-communicate product. This will
exploit Firebird's Phase 1 innovation (SterileQTM) that autonomously traps and stabilizes viral RNA. Different
baits, RNA-stabilizing preservatives, and pre-amplification enzymes will be metricked to create, at the end of
Year 1, a Moskeet-ready OA1 chemistry that allows continuous sampling of mosquitoes. Metrics include (a)
>50% of infected mosquitoes leaving detectable sample, (b) >200 hours half-life of RNA, and (c) capture of >1
pg of RNA. An instrument from Insilixa (Hydra), also enhanced by Firebird's reagents, will be used for on-site
virus detection. Hydra is portable, and its low complexity design allows it to be used by amateurs.
 Aim 2 will develop and metric Firebird's chemistry for an OA2 architecture. This will convert Moskeet into a
trap-count-speciate-sample-analyze-communicate product. Here, we will develop and benchmark point-of-
sampling amplification tools, specifically: (a) RT-PCR, and (b) loop amplification (LAMP). These will, as
needed, incorporate reagent...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10476977
- **Project number:** 5R44CK000578-02
- **Recipient organization:** FIREBIRD BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN A BENNER
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $485,197
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10476977

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10476977, PHS2019-02 Omnibus Solic of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for SBIR Apps No Clinical Trial (Parent SBIR R43/4 (5R44CK000578-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10476977. Licensed CC0.

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