POSTECH develops new technology to diagnose new viruses in 15 minutes.
It will also apply to Wuhan Corona...achievements in industry-academic research
Diagnose infection only by color change like a pregnancy diagnosis kit
A research team from Pohang University of Science and Technology has developed a new diagnostic method that can diagnose the new virus in 15 minutes. The technology will also be applied to tests for Uhan coronavirus infection (Korona19).
The research team led by Professor Jang Seung-gi, Dr. Kwon Joon-young, and Dr. Narayan of POSTECH's Bioscience Department announced on the 19th that they have developed a rapid diagnostic method for virus infection with the company. The research results were published one after another in the journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology and the Royal Chemical Society of England.
A team of researchers led by Professor Jang Seung-gi, Dr. Kwon Joon-young, and Dr. Narayan of Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTEC) announced on the 19th that they have developed a technology that can diagnose the virus in just 15 minutes.
A team of researchers led by Professor Jang Seung-gi, Dr. Kwon Joon-young, and Dr. Narayan of Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTEC) announced on the 19th that they have developed a technology that can diagnose the virus in just 15 minutes.
Currently, there are molecular diagnostics, antigen and antibody methods, and cell culture methods. The diagnosis method of Wuhan Corona, which is used in Korea, is Although it is highly sensitive, it takes more than six hours to analyze samples and costs a lot of money.
Cell culture methods require two to four weeks of time and are not suitable for large-scale tests, and diagnostic methods using antigens and antibodies have not been developed. In the case of Wuhan Corona, real-time diagnostic methods that are diagnosed at the site where samples are taken have not yet been commercialized.
The research team took note of the aptamer, a type of molecular tongs, instead of conventional methods. Molecular tongs are those that can only pick up the desired molecules from within a cell. Aptamers are nucleic acids made up of DNA or RNA that combine with high specificity and binding force at various targets ranging from simple low-molecular compounds to high-molecular materials such as proteins. DNA abtamers are highly stable, making it easy to transport and store in large quantities at low cost.
The research team has discovered a new abtamer acting on the influenza virus envelope protein and developed a kit that can diagnose virus infections only with changes in color, like a pregnancy diagnostic kit. Using this equipment, 15 minutes is enough to check for infection.
The research team has also started developing diagnostic methods for Wuhan Corona in collaboration with Altamerscience. It plans to have a system that can quickly develop new virus diagnoses and treatments such as SARS and MERS, as well as Wuhan Corona.
Professor Jang Seung-gi said, "If you use an abtamer discovered by a new method, you can make a quick diagnostic kit right away," adding, "If the discovered abtamer is combined with Coronavirus Envelope Protein, you can prevent healthy cells from becoming infected with the virus, and if you use it, you can also use it as a cure."