Transforming Infectious Disease Diagnosis Through Advanced Metabolomics
MERMAID: Metabolomics Exploration for Rapid Machine-learning for Infectious Diseases
Public health depends on timely and accurate diagnosis. Yet despite significant advances in laboratory medicine, many infectious diseases remain difficult to identify quickly and accurately, creating delays in treatment and increasing risks for patients and communities. The MERMAID project, short for Metabolomics Exploration for Rapid Machine-learning for Infectious Diseases, aims to transform how infectious diseases are detected by developing new diagnostic tools that are faster, less invasive, and more accessible.
The Opportunity
Laboratory testing plays a critical role in modern healthcare, influencing an estimated 70% of clinical decisions. Despite this, up to 60% of infectious disease syndromes remain unresolved, meaning patients may undergo additional testing, experience delays in diagnosis, receive unnecessary treatments, or face poorer health outcomes while clinicians search for answers.
These challenges are particularly acute for diseases that are difficult to diagnose in their early stages or within populations that face barriers to accessing timely healthcare. Delays in diagnosis can result in ongoing transmission, worsening illness, and increased healthcare costs.
Researchers at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) believe there is an opportunity to fundamentally improve how infectious diseases are detected by leveraging advances in metabolomics — the study of substances produced as the body processes food, drugs, and other compounds — machine learning, and diagnostic technology. Their goal is to move testing closer to patients, provide faster results, and support more effective treatment decisions.
The Solution
MERMAID uses metabolomics to identify unique biological signatures associated with infection. Researchers are investigating how these metabolites change in response to infectious diseases, and how these changes can be used to develop highly accurate diagnostic tools.
The approach has already demonstrated promising results in detecting SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses. The next phase of the project focuses on applying this technology to infectious diseases of significant public health importance, beginning with syphilis and tuberculosis. Earlier and more accurate detection of these infections could dramatically improve patient outcomes while reducing transmission within communities.
To advance this work, the research team requires an Orbitrap Exploris 240, a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry instrument. This technology would provide the foundation for a new generation of diagnostic testing and support future collaborations across Canada and internationally. The equipment would also strengthen British Columbia’s capacity to respond to emerging infectious disease threats and expand opportunities for innovation in clinical diagnostics.
The Impact
The MERMAID project has the potential to significantly improve infectious disease diagnosis and patient care.
Earlier detection: Faster diagnosis allows patients to begin appropriate treatment sooner, improving outcomes and reducing the risk of further transmission.
Improved access to testing: By developing simpler and more accessible diagnostic approaches, the project aims to support testing in a wider range of settings, including community-based and point-of-care environments, like doctor’s offices or pharmacies.
Reduced healthcare costs: Earlier diagnosis can reduce the need for repeated testing, avoid unnecessary treatments, and help prevent costly complications associated with delayed care.
Advancing health equity: New diagnostic tools could help improve access and outcomes for populations disproportionately affected by infectious diseases, including Indigenous Peoples, immigrant communities, and other equity-deserving groups.
Strengthening public health capacity: The technology and expertise developed through MERMAID will enhance British Columbia’s ability to respond to future infectious disease threats while positioning the province as a leader in diagnostic innovation.
The team will initially focus on syphilis, a growing public health concern both provincially and globally. Improved diagnostics may help detect infections earlier, prevent reinfection, and identify serious complications such as neurosyphilis — a bacterial infection of the brain or spinal cord — before significant harm occurs.
Meet the Researchers
The MERMAID project is led by Dr Catherine Hogan, a clinician-scientist at the BCCDC Provincial Toxicology Centre and principal investigator for this innovative initiative. Dr Hogan is leading efforts to apply metabolomics and machine learning technologies to infectious disease diagnostics, to create more accessible, accurate, and patient-centred testing approaches.
Over the past year, Dr Hogan and her team successfully adapted a novel metabolomics method to existing instrumentation at the BCCDC, demonstrating the potential of this approach to improve infectious disease detection and patient care. The success of this pilot work has validated the need for dedicated equipment to bring the project to its full potential.
A Collaborative Team of Experts
Dr Hogan is joined by a multidisciplinary team that includes Dr Aaron Shapiro, Dr Sandrine Mérette, Afraz Khan, and collaborators at Stanford University. Together, the team brings expertise in infectious diseases, toxicology, epidemiology, laboratory medicine, data science, and machine learning.
Their work benefits from the unique structure of the BC Centre for Disease Control, where microbiologists, epidemiologists, modellers, laboratory scientists, and public health experts work side by side. This integrated environment helps ensure that research priorities remain closely aligned with real-world clinical and public health needs, creating an ideal setting for innovation that can rapidly translate into better patient care.
Why Philanthropy Matters
The success of MERMAID depends on access to specialized mass spectrometry equipment. The research team has already demonstrated that this novel diagnostic approach works by adapting and validating their methodology using existing instrumentation at BCCDC. However, the only comparable instrument currently available is being used to support the Provincial Toxicology Centre. Acquiring a dedicated Orbitrap Exploris 240 would provide the capacity needed to advance infectious disease diagnostics while supporting future research collaborations across British Columbia, Canada, and internationally.
Philanthropic support is often the catalyst that allows groundbreaking research to move forward. For the MERMAID team, a relatively small philanthropic investment can unlock access to larger provincial and national research funding opportunities, accelerating the development of innovative diagnostic technologies that may transform how infectious diseases are detected and managed. This ensures that donor support will have an impact far beyond the initial contribution, helping position British Columbia as a leader in diagnostic innovation while improving health outcomes for communities here and around the world.
By supporting MERMAID, donors are investing in the future of infectious disease diagnostics, helping researchers develop the tools needed to detect infections earlier, improve patient outcomes, strengthen public health preparedness, and advance health equity across populations.
Please contact fundraising@pphf.ca to learn more about supporting MERMAID and other innovative public health research initiatives.