At the Center for Point-of-Care Technologies Research for Sexually Transmitted Diseases, our mission is to develop and test the accuracy, acceptability, and optimal implementation of point-of-care tests for sexually transmitted diseases in diverse care delivery contexts both in the United States and in resource-limited settings.

Located in the Division of Infectious Diseases of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Center brings together a dedicated and experienced group of faculty and staff who are committed to stopping the epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. In addition to personnel from Johns Hopkins, the Center includes scientists and staff from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) in Kampala, Uganda. We are part of the Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) which was created by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) in 2007. We are funded through a grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).

A Hidden Epidemic in the United States and Beyond

The need to develop sensitive, specific, and more easily available point-of-care (POC) technologies for diagnosing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is critical. Five of the top ten reportable diseases in the United States are STDs. CDC data indicate that in 2018 in the United States, a combined total of nearly 2.5 million new cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were reported. The global incidence of four curable sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis) is estimated at over 357 million cases. Many cases go undiagnosed and untreated.Young people (ages 15-24) are particularly affected, accounting for half of all new infections. Some of these sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have the potential to cause serious health problems, especially if not diagnosed and treated early. Stigma, privacy, and confidentiality issues make STDs/STIs optimal areas for point-of-care tests at healthcare facilities and for over-the-counter tests performed at home. 

Our Organization

Our cores work collaboratively to identify promising emerging technologies and facilitate their translation along a development pipeline.  

Resources

  • Get Tested

    This website is a service of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It provides users with locations for HIV, STD, and hepatitis testing and STD and hepatitis vaccines around the United States.

  • National Women's Health Information Center

    Womenshealth.gov is a service of the Office on Women's Health (OWH) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to provide national leadership and coordination to improve the health of women and girls through policy, education, and innovative programs.

  • Planned Parenthood

    Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.

  • Kaiser Family Foundation

    A leader in health policy and communications, the Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation. Their focus is on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy.

  • American Sexual Health Association

    The American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) has a long history of delivering the facts, the support, and the resources to answer your questions and help you find referrals, support groups, and in-depth information about sexually transmitted infections and sexual health.

  • National Coalition for Sexual Health

    The National Coalition for Sexual Health (NCSH) aims to improve sexual health and well-being by encouraging productive and sustained conversations about sexual health and promoting high quality sexual health information and health services.

Education and Training