COVID-19 testing webinars 2020

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, can only be effectively countered with a combination strategy of quarantining/social distancing and widespread PCR testing for the presence of viral RNA. The gold standard in Belgium is the use of a nasopharyngeal swab, taken by a healthcare professional, and transported to the test lab in a medium that typically keeps the virus alive. Belgium has built one of the highest capacities for a national PCR testing program in Europe. Biogazelle was invited to be one of 5 testing labs in this national platform and has tested more than 100,000 nasopharyngeal swabs to date. As an ISO17025 accredited lab for RT-qPCR services, Biogazelle had the unique skills set and expertise around RT-qPCR quantification of RNA to develop a robust, sensitive, and high-throughput test for SARS-CoV-2 in 10 days. Crucially important was the use of reagents, consumables, and instruments that allowed (semi-)automation and business continuity despite worldwide shortages.

This webinar outlines how Biogazelle set up and validated its SARS-CoV-2 testing workflow and how we continue to improve it for cost-efficiency and performance. The experience we have acquired with diagnostic patient sample testing allows us to now offer this service to our industrial partners while still meeting our unwavering commitment toward public health.

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions and discover tips and tricks to perform robust, sensitive, and high-throughput testing for SARS-CoV-2. We will discuss how automation has helped Biogazelle upscale its testing capacity, saving time and boosting confidence in the test results.

• Biogazelle’s unique skills and expertise in RT-qPCR quantification
• Belgium’s national strategy for SARS-CoV-2 testing based on RT-qPCR
• Advanced RT-qPCR quantification data analysis and data interpretation
• Best practices and troubleshooting tips for data analysis
• Advantages of automating the workflow from RNA extraction to RT-qPCR

Speaker Bio:

Jo Vandesompele is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Biogazelle, a Contract Research Organization specializing in high-value genomics applications to support pharmaceutical research, clinical trials and diagnostic test development. He is also professor in Functional Cancer Genomics and Applied Bioinformatics at Ghent University, Belgium. He obtained a Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering (1997) and a PhD in Medical Genetics (2002). He is author of more than 250 scientific articles in international journals, including some pioneering publications in the domain of RNA quantification and non-coding RNA. His H-index is 66, with 33,000 citations (Web of Science, January 2020).

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global economy and created an urgent need to better understand SARS-CoV-2 and to improve clinical and public health responses. Building biobanks with COVID-19 patient samples is crucial to help the scientific community tackle this global challenge. This recorded webinar describes how to automate buffy coat extraction and blood fraction processing using our unique spiral aspiration technology and SciRobotics TubeEyeX™ on Tecan’s liquid handling platforms to streamline your biobanking workflows.

Abstract:

This recorded webinar puts you right into one of the hot spots of the entire COVID-19 crisis in northern Italy. It’s the story of how a retirement home / hospital affected by the pandemic reached out to a local research centre for help. And how this research centre, the PTP Science Park in Milan, worked with Tecan to re-purpose and completely reorganise their own equipment to build a complete end-to-end laboratory process and workflow for testing COVID-19 samples.

Abstract:

Researchers from around the world are successfully using Tecan Genomics’ solutions in COVID-19 research. Join our webinar to learn more about how Trio RNA-Seq library preparation kit incorporates our global amplification technology (SPIA) to enable cDNA generation from limited sample types while depleting high levels of host rRNA sequences to improve detection sensitivity. In this webinar, you will learn about the applications of our products and technologies in SARS-CoV-2 and other viral studies from challenging samples.

Presenter:

Lin Pham, MD, VP Research and Development, Tecan Genomics

Lin Pham leads our R&D team and has directed the development of novel Next Generation Sequencing technologies and products since 2010. Lin has a long career in genome technology development and product commercialization including over 15 years at Applied Biosystems and key roles in several successful startup companies.

Abstract:

Dr Philip Gribbon, describes recent efforts to identify small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease. In this context, he presents approaches to screen libraries of drugs and clinical candidates for potentially therapeutic repurposing.

In addition, Dr Philip Gribbon discusses with Dr Andrea Beccari the EXSCALATE4CoV (E4C) project, an international research consortium financed by the European Union charged with accelerating drug repurposing to target SARS-Cov2 and building a network of experts, resources and tools to better address potential future pandemics.