Decentralized disease screening for pandemics and global health

Our Test Training Program is the first of many aspects of FloodLAMP's pandemic work that we are in the process of publishing. The program distills key learnings from deploying rapid COVID surveillance screening services in various configurations. It is primarily aimed at individuals new to laboratory settings, offering comprehensive training on both the technical aspects of molecular testing and the effective management of sites. We've recently added a proof-of-concept custom chatbot to demonstarte what's now possible arising from the transformative capability of the new AI tools.

FloodLAMP Biotechnologies was a Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2020 with the mission of improving public health through accessible rapid molecular testing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed pilot screening programs under the non-diagnostic "surveillance" framework and pursued diagnostic EUA authorizations from the FDA, primarily utilizing colorimetric LAMP test technology, a promising alternative to traditional PCR that offered several advantages over both lab-based PCR and antigen tests. While our initial focus was on establishing commercial operations and screening programs, our work evolved to emphasize research, knowledge sharing, and pandemic preparedness. As of Oct 2024, FloodLAMP became part of Focus on Foundations, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, where work continues on developing and sharing open-source AI tools for pandemic response and other critical applications. Though significant progress was made in testing capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge of ensuring adequate testing capacity for future health crises remains. This ongoing need continues to drive our work as we aim to contribute to pandemic preparedness through our new organizational structure.
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