iBB

In the early days of the pandemic, iBB, the Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies (CTN2) and the Center for Structural Chemistry (CQE) joined efforts to create a laboratory for the molecular diagnostic of SARS-CoV-2 in samples collected in several nursing homes. After running more than 4500 samples, the lab focused on the implementation of a Covid-19 Testing Program at IST. Up to now close to 6000 tests have been made to members of the IST community. The IST/iBB-CTN Covid-19 lab is certified by (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA).

A new research project “CAPTURA- Use of functionalized particles for the enrichment and efficient detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical and environmental samples” has been recently awarded to IST by the Compete 2020 programme (Call 02/SAICT/2020 - SAICT, Projetos de IC&DT, Testar com Ciência). The project’s overarching goal is to detect SARS-CoV-2 in samples other than nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, like urine, saliva and also in environmental samples, like residual waters. Efforts will be also mobilized to develop tests for the rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigens. The project is a consortium of three research units of IST - iBB, the Center for Nuclear Sciences and Technologies and the Laboratory of Analysis of IST - and is headed by Leonilde Moreira from BSRG-iBB.

Due to the exceptional measures decreed by the Government in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Directive Council of the portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) took the decision to automatically extend for one month the duration of all scholarship contracts. The measure is valid for all contracts funded by FCT that were in force on on the March 13, 2020. Click here to learn more.

Illustration by David S. Goodsell, RCSB Protein Data Bank; doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-019