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Feb. 8, 2021
University of Surrey staff and students to get innovative rapid Covid test
Staff and students at the University of Surrey are among the first people to get an innovative new 20-minute Covid-19 test that has been developed by the University.
This highly accurate Covid-19 test – Virus Hunter 6 (VH6) – has been developed by the University of Surrey, Brunel University London and Lancaster University in collaboration with commercial partner Vidiia Ltd. As well as providing the results in just 20 minutes, VH6 has been shown to be 99% accurate in lab trials. It has been developed for use as a mass point-of-care product in large settings such as universities, airports and care homes, and as part of its on-going testing program the University of Surrey needs 1,000 samples from staff and students, who have remained on campus. The data gathered from this testing will help to validate the test for mass use.
Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology at the University of Surrey, Roberto La Ragione, explains, “Developing a highly accurate Covid-19 test that delivers rapid results has been a priority since the beginning of this pandemic. Initial results from our testing have been very encouraging; the next stage of its development is to begin testing on a large scale. I am delighted that this will take place on our campus and that our staff and students will be a part of this vital step in combatting the impact of Covid-19.”
Meanwhile, Research Professor at Brunel University London and lead academic on the project, Wamadeva Balachandran, says, “We are excited to be part of the University of Surrey trials of Virus Hunter 6. These will further validate trials completed at Surrey and Lancaster universities using NHS clinical samples.”
Molecular Virologist at Lancaster University, Dr Muhammad Munir, adds, “Backed by an innovative technology, strong institutional collaboration and a vibrant industrial partner, the testing of a smart diagnostic platform on the University of Surrey campus is a step closer to offering a fast and reliable diagnostic test for early detection of Covid-19 infections in multiple communities.”
Find out more about postgraduate study at the University of Surrey.
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Content added on 8th February 2021.
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