UCD FoundationAssay Genie – an Irish company co-founded by UCD biochemistry graduate Seán Mac Fhearraigh along with Colm Ryan – reacted immediately to the initial reports of the spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. They have developed a kit for rapid testing for the virus, which will be ready for global release within weeks.
Testing a single drop of blood, the novel kit can provide results in just 15 minutes. That’s a massive improvement on the current testing method, which takes four hours to give a result. As the demand for testing increases day by day, the need for speed and easier access to testing is critical.
News of the testing kit is also spreading rapidly, and the company has received offers of assistance and collaboration from labs in Ireland and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Health Directorate of Saint Helena – part of the British Overseas Territory, and one of the world’s remotest islands – has requested a shipment of kits as part of their contingency planning for COVID-19.