Singapore scientists develop coronavirus testing that yields results in 36 minutes

Scientists in Singapore have come up with an improved testing method for COVID-19 that yields results in just 36 minutes which is a quarter of the time required by existing tests to detect the pathogen and is also cheaper. While the coronavirus outbreak has continued to tighten its grip across the world the clinical researchers at the Nanyang Technological University have developed an approach that would enable the wider adoption of the COVID-19 testing for diagnosis in academic or further coming up with effective treatments to the fatal disease. 

Currently, the testing method which is being widely used by medical professionals across the world is through a laboratory technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This type of COVID-19 test requires a machine that amplifies viral genetic material by copying it multiple times so that any trace of the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 can be detected. However, this has proved to be a laborious process because it requires RNA purification that further needs chemicals that are now running low on supply. 

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COVID-19 testing developed by Singapore scientists

But, the method put forth by the scientists in Singapore is a combination of all the steps and thus gives the result based on a crude patient sample, reducing a significant amount of time between the sample and the result, and removing the need for RNA purification chemicals. The first author of the paper and PhD candidate at NTU, Wee Soon Keong elaborated that their proposed coronavirus testing involved a ‘single-tube reaction’ that cuts down the hands-on time and even the biosafety risk for the people working in the laboratories. 

Wee Soon Keong said, “While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a venerable technology that has proven to be a workhorse for biological research, it has some drawbacks when used outside of the laboratory environment.”

“The process is fiddly and time-consuming. Our rapid COVID-19 test involves a single-tube reaction that reduces hands-on time and biosafety risk for lab personnel, as well as the likelihood for carryover contamination during the processing of samples,” he added. 

Moreover, apart from COVID-19 testing, the method developed by the scientists at Singapore can also be used to detect other pathogens including the dengue virus which is set to plague Singapore while the country braces itself for one of the worst dengue outbreaks amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. 

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