COVID-19 diagnostics center opens at King’s College London

A testing center has opened at King’s College London to process samples of suspected COVID-19.

The diagnostics clinic, run by Dr Rocio Martinez-Nunez in collaboration with Viapath, aims to support efforts by the NHS to speed up testing for the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The team have been awarded King’s Together Funding and are working with Guy’s and St Thomas’ and Viapath to help ease the burden of testing in the NHS. They have also found alternative reagents, specific chemicals used to determine the presence of the virus which have previously been in short supply. Some of these are nearly approved and will be able to be used for testing.

Dr Martinez-Nunez, from the School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences at King’s College London said: “There is a worldwide need for massive testing and reagents are in short supply. We have found alternative reagent combinations that we believe can relieve the burden of the NHS’s clinical labs. This will allow many labs to use multiple reagents and release the backflow of tests. The next stage is to benchmark all protocols for use in the wider population and other laboratories.”

The team of volunteers is made up of PhD students, post docs, research assistants and PIs, who have worked round the clock to develop and optimize several alternative protocols.

Dr Martinez-Nunez explained: “We have built a testing facility on campus to relieve the pressure on the NHS. We have worked out a way of inactivating samples using heat. The samples come in tubes and we must open them in a certain way – with protective equipment, in a sterile and safe environment.

“If we inactivate the sample, the virus is not harmful anymore. This means we can open them in other environments that are safe, and we can process the samples much quicker.”

More than 120 people from King’s College London has volunteered. Dr Martinez-Nunez said: “Some people are helping from their homes. They might have children and they come in for half a day to do as much as they can. People are adapting to an ever-changing situation. The energy and enthusiasm people have shown is incredible. Within the horror of the pandemic we have found that people really want to help. It’s a ray of light.”

The vital work will extend beyond the UK and be shared with the international community.

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