Taipei, June 30 (CNA) A form of nanotechnology developed by a professor at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) could be used to screen patients for COVID-19 in a matter of minutes, the university said in a statement Monday.<\/p>\n
Professor Liao Jiunn-der's () use of \"nanocavities,\" which he describes as nanoscale traps that resemble upside-down pyramids, can be used to catch even a single virus, he said.<\/p>\n
To screen patients, samples are obtained from their upper respiratory tract, purified, and placed on a testing slide that has the \"nanocavities.\"<\/p>\n
A laser is then used to detect if a virus has been trapped inside a cavity, which virus it is, and whether it is active, Liao said.<\/p>\n
Liao began developing the nanocavity technology in 2009, and it has proven effective in screening for seven kinds of viruses, including the SARS coronavirus and H1N1, according to the statement.<\/p>\n
His team obtained a patent for the technology in 2012, the NCKU statement said.<\/p>\n
A variation of the technology developed by Liao's team, which uses the same kind of laser to detect whether viruses are present on a silicon testing slide, could also be applied to COVID-19 screening.<\/p>\n
Liao's team has yet to test the technology with the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), but it will work with the university's hospital and College of Medicine to conduct tests over the next six months to determine how well the system works.<\/p>\n
Should the technology pan out, the team's goal is to set up testing stations at ports and airports to facilitate COVID-19 testing, and create a mobile testing station that can provide services when needed, NCKU said.<\/p>\n
The project is one of seven COVID-19 related studies that is being supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology's Department of Engineering and Technologies, according to NCKU.<\/p>\n
(By Yang Sz-ruei and Chiang Yi-ching) <\/p>\n
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View post: Taipei, June 30 (CNA) A form of nanotechnology developed by a professor at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) could be used to screen patients for COVID-19 in a matter of minutes, the university said in a statement Monday. Professor Liao Jiunn-der's () use of \"nanocavities,\" which he describes as nanoscale traps that resemble upside-down pyramids, can be used to catch even a single virus, he said. To screen patients, samples are obtained from their upper respiratory tract, purified, and placed on a testing slide that has the \"nanocavities.\" A laser is then used to detect if a virus has been trapped inside a cavity, which virus it is, and whether it is active, Liao said Continue reading
\nNanotechnology could be used to screen for COVID-19: professor - Focus Taiwan News Channel<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"