Ames Today

Researchers affiliated with Iowa universities team up to develop a device to test for the coronavirus. 

Professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology at Iowa State University Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, University of Iowa virologist Wendy Maury and Pranav Shrotriya, a professor of mechanical engineering at Iowa State are among those working on the task.

They are working on a portable device, similar to a smartphone, that will be able to test for the virus and give a simple, yes-or-no answer as to whether or not someone is infected. The scope of it is to test for antibodies, which would mean that the person being tested has a measure of immunity, and also to test for presence of the virus, which indicates an active infection.

The research team said a goal was to get samples of the COVID-19 virus.

“If we had a test that could tell us if we have the virus antibodies, then you know if you’ve had the virus and are no longer susceptible,” Nilsen-Hamilted told Des Moines Register. “You could then continue to do some of the everyday activities that are shut down right now without worrying about contracting the virus.”

Nilsen-Hamilted has experience creating a similar apparatus with Aptlogic, her independent biotech company, for testing for Ebola.

The team is focusing on finding the right aptamer, or genetic coding. Soma Banerjee of Aptalogic is helping in this effort.

“I don’t want to put out a product that is incomplete or that testing for the wrong thing because that would create a worse situation,” Nilsen-Hamilton said. “It’s really important to be absolutely sure that your sensors are working well, that it’s quality testing and that it's giving an accurate reading to users."

They are working on making a device that is accurate, and they said the device will probably not be ready to use during the current wave of COVID-19, according to Des Moines Register.