2020/04/06
CIC bioGUNE is committing different human and material resources to the development of various research projects on COVID-19
The first of these aims to validate and develop fast viral diagnostic techniques for SARS-CoV-2. Diagnostic techniques would be industrially scalable and applicable to medical care, with a major focus towards the diagnosis of the different stages of infection in humans. They would allow predicting its severity and then stratifying medical care as well as making possible the prospective epidemiological analysis of the population.
A second project is designed for identifying bottlenecks in the diagnostic process. Thus, an efficient protocol is being developed for sample processing, RNA purification, and detection of virus RNA by PCR. CIC bioGUNE's research in this area is directed at advising and validating various laboratory procedures for automated extraction of RNA in human samples, as well as practices for detecting RNA from the virus using PCR, in collaboration with the Arquimea group (webcovid19). Validation of RNA extraction and detection procedures would allow conclusive diagnosis of the disease.
A third project is motivated on establishing the risk groups for COVID-19 within the working population and identifying those factors that could favor the development of immunity against SARS-CoV-2.
A fourth project is intended to apply new computational methods to characterize the immune response that defines this pathology and to propose strategies and treatments that are capable of modulating the corresponding severe inflammatory cascade.
Furthermore, in response to Osakidetza's request, CIC bioGUNE has shown its support for the preparation of tubes with inactivating medium for PCR assays.
These projects are developed in collaboration with diverse agents and institutions, including Atlas Molecular Pharma, Biolan, Neiker, Gaiker, BioEF, Osakidetza, Arquimea Group, and Deusto University.
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