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Breakthrough in Ebola Detection: University of Virginia Researchers Develop Promising New Tool

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

University of Virginia researchers, Zygmunt Derewenda and Daniel Engel, are working with the University of Chicago to develop a new generation of reagents for detecting and typing the Ebola virus. Their innovative tool promises to diagnose Ebola quickly and cheaply, allowing for earlier isolation and care of patients while reducing future outbreaks. The World Health Organization has called for new detection kits that are cheaper, provide readout in less than 30 minutes, and require no more than two simple steps.

Key Takeaways:

  • The current detection of Ebola takes up to six hours, costs roughly $100 per patient, and is dependent upon specific laboratory equipment not readily available in high-risk locations.
  • The new tool being developed by University of Virginia researchers could detect virus antigens in blood samples in under 30 minutes and at a significantly lower cost.
  • The researchers are pursuing an alternative strategy using synthetic antibody fragments engineered to recognize a different target in the nucleoprotein.
  • The University of Virginia researchers have received $80,000 in funding from the Ivy Foundation Biomedical Innovation Grants to support their project.
  • The Ivy Foundation Biomedical Innovation Grants have awarded over $1.86 million to 35 collaborative University projects since the program was created in 2008.

Statistics:

  • The World Health Organization has called for new detection kits that are cheaper, provide readout in less than 30 minutes, and require no more than two simple steps.
  • The current detection of Ebola takes up to six hours and costs roughly $100 per patient.
  • The University of Virginia researchers have received $80,000 in funding from the Ivy Foundation Biomedical Innovation Grants.
  • The Ivy Foundation Biomedical Innovation Grants have awarded over $1.86 million to 35 collaborative University projects since the program was created in 2008.
  • This year's grants are made possible by $250,000 donated by the Ivy Foundation and matched by the U.Va. School of Medicine.

Sources:

  • University of Virginia news release
  • Ivy Foundation Biomedical Innovation Grants
  • World Health Organization press release
  • HT Media Ltd.

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