Researchers Develop New Corona Test
As requested by the Austrian Federal Government and the WHO, a significant increase in coronavirus testing capacity is essential to combat the new coronavirus. The University of Innsbruck is now responding by immediately developing and evaluating a new high-throughput method for the genetic analysis of patient samples in its Faculty of Biology.
In the departments of zoology and microbiology at the University of Innsbruck, several successful feasibility tests for a high-throughput CE-PCR for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been carried out in recent days in cooperation with Sinsoma GmbH, a spin-off company of the University of Innsbruck.
Finding the needle in the haystack
This approach uses the coupling of high-sensitivity PCR and capillary electrophoresis (CE), unlike conventional real-time PCR protocols, to detect genetic traces of the virus in samples. This is accomplished by using very short, specific DNA sequences - called primers - that bind to the virus' RNA. This makes it possible to find the needle in the haystack. Only a few corona virus RNA molecules are needed to be discovered using the Innsbruck team's procedure. The novelty of the Innsbruck approach is that it allows high throughput CE-PCR analysis.
Not dependent on the test kits used so far
"With this new approach, we use different reagents from conventional test methods," explains Michael Traugott, a scientist at the University of Innsbruck and co-founder of Sinsoma GmbH. "This way, we are not affected by material shortages, which are already occurring due to the great worldwide demand for conventional tests".
The Innsbruck laboratory can carry out up to 1,000 tests per day if the authorities' assessment is conclusive and can then gradually expand this capacity. "In this way, we want to offer an alternative method that ensures the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus at high throughput even if the supply situation becomes more difficult," says Rector Tilmann Märk. "With this new method, we at the University of Innsbruck want to make an effective contribution to supporting the massive expansion of testing capacity for the fight against the coronavirus", says Rector Tilmann Märk.
