Scientists in Waterford are aiming to improve the speed of Covid-19 testing.
The team from WIT, University Hospital Waterford and BioEnz Technologies have received funding of €118,000 from Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA.
The project will be led by Dr Lee Coffey, a lead scientist in the PMBRC and founder of BioEnz Technologies, a biological solutions company.
"The most reliable COVID-19 tests use a technique called polymerase chain reaction or PCR," explained Dr Coffey.
"The virus is cracked open and the genetic material or RNA is extracted. This is then copied over and over using PCR until it can be detected. However the PCR step is slow and can take over two hours. We aim to speed this up and bring the time down to under 30 minutes. We also plan to validate the method on a wider range of equipment, thereby increasing the number of labs capable of testing for COVID-19. With the expertise in the team coming together from WIT, UHW and BIOENZ, we can trial thousands of better test options as quickly as possible."
The WIT and BioEnz Technologies team will work with the Pathology Department of UHW, led by laboratory manager Patrick Mulhare. "The global competition for diagnostic tests and reagents is extremely challenging. Increasing test speed without compromising on quality and test accuracy is of vital importance. Given the potential time delay for a vaccine, there will be an increased and ongoing need for extra testing capacity for some time to come," he said.
Dr Coffey says it's great for the research centre to get this funding and to be working with University Hospital Waterford.
"They are obviously a clinical testing lab, they have got great expertise, they are going to share safe controls with us. As a teaching institute, we don't want to have live viruses in the labs at Waterford IT. The hospital is handling those samples all the time, they are going to give us safe extracts so we don't have to worry about virus issues in WIT. It's a great collaboration to have with Pat and his team too."
Dr Orla O’ Donovan, Biochemist and head of the Department of Science at WIT, brings her 20 years research experience to this project which is building on the strong ongoing collaborations between WIT and UHW.
For molecular biologists Dr David O’Neill, Dr Denise O’Meara, and Dr Andrew Harrington, the project is an opportunity to apply their expertise to this pressing societal challenge. "We routinely use PCR to address questions relevant to environmental and agricultural research," said Dr O’Neill. "We are delighted to apply our broad range of molecular expertise and experience to help optimize and improve turn around rates for COVID-19 testing."
For the award-winning PMBRC, this project is one of a several initiatives taking part within the research centre on COVID-19.
"We have been working on a number of projects with academic and industry partners around the rapid testing for COVID-19 and the formulation of antivirals to treat the disease” said Centre Manager Dr Niall O'Reilly.
"Unfortunately COVID-19 will be with us for some time to come but the project funded here is a great example of a team of scientists coming together to tackle one of the many challenges we face. Hopefully the impact of this and other projects funded under the call will lessen the societal burden of the virus," he added.
Delighted to meet with researchers at @waterfordit who are leading the Irish charge when it comes to battling #COVID19
The team have recieved €118,000 from @scienceirel to help develop the national coronavirus response.
A hugely positive development for Waterford. pic.twitter.com/EFdAPRENQr— John Halligan (@JohnHalligan) June 12, 2020
Waterford Minister of State, John Halligan, visited the lab today.
Minister Halligan said: "It is a tremendous indication of the calibre of work and research that is taking place in Waterford IT that it could play a role in helping to develop an innovative response to the COVID-19 pandemic."
"I want to congratulate Dr Lee Coffey on leading the project here in WIT along with colleagues in UHW and BIOENZ - this project has a broad range of molecular expertise that will help optimise and improve turnaround rates for COVID-19 testing."
President of WIT, Prof Willie Donnelly also praised the work of the researchers "The WIT investment in the development of world class research in key areas biopharma, ICT and Advance Manufacturing has been key to the region’s economic development. I am immensely proud of the research community’s ability to apply their expertise to address Covid-19. This award is a validation not only of the academic research and innovation leadership but our commitment to supporting and protecting our community."
Dr Mark White, Vice President of Research at WIT added: "We are so proud to have such wide and varied research interests in WIT and that they are all making impactful contributions to this international Pandemic. PMBRC’s successful proposal epitomises the engaging, creative and innovative approach we foster amongst our research community here in WIT. We thrive on the demands of finding novel solutions to societal, ecological and economical challenges with our regional and national enterprise partners. PMBRC and the WIT research community will continue to tackle the many Covid-19 pandemic challenges using this collaborative approach."
