The National Institute of Health recently selected a new COVID-19 rapid testing platform for their Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative. This novel technology was developed by collaborative efforts between Columbia Engineering and Rover Diagnostics. The cheap, efficient, and portable platform utilizes reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to deliver a sample result within eight minutes.
Originally developed as a point-of-care test for rapid MRSA diagnosis, this was technology was funded through BiomedX and has been adapted for COVID-19. The sample preparation research behind the platform came out of Columbia Engineering professor Sam Sia’s lab. Professor Sia and Mark Fasciano cofounded Rover Diagnostics in 2018, with the goal of creating a testing platform for various infectious diseases.
Rover’s novel diagnostics prototype was established shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. They quickly adapted their platform to be able to detect the novel coronavirus in an affordable and fast way.
https://www.engineering.columbia.edu/press-release/sia-covid-19-test-nih-challenge
