The Research Institute of Rospotrebnadzor has started working on the creation of a biochip for COVID-19 testing. This was stated on the official website of the Agency today.
Rospotrebnadzor published the results of studies of the COVID-19 infection by the Academician I. N. Blokhina Nizhny Novgorod Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The report states that a biochip to indicate the actual pathogens of community-acquired pneumonia, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is being developed.
“It is planned to characterize the regional features of the etiological structure of community-acquired pneumonia. The outcome will provide the basis for the development of a prototype DNA biochip,” the agency explained.
Specialists of the Engineering Center for Microtechnology and Diagnostics of SPbSETU “LETI” also participate in the creation of a biochip for COVID-19 testing. For several years, they have been researching and developing multimodal biosensors to determine biomarkers, viruses and microorganisms by express method. This includes biomarker diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, stress, and rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus with the use of peptides.
The scientific and technological foundations were developed for the creation of biochips that can identify pathogens and test their antibiotic resistance. The Institute’s partners are the Research Institute of Influenza of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, the State Research Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations, and the Saint Petersburg Pasteur Research Institute of Epidemiology and Mictobiology.
To recall, according to the statement of one of the Russian epidemiologists, the collective immunity to coronavirus infection in the country has reached 60%. But this level does not mean it is time to feel relieved, as the necessary level is 90%.
