RESEARCH4 COVID-19

Approved Applications.

In the 2nd edition of the RESEARCH 4 COVID-19 Application from the Foundation for Science and Technology, the applications submitted by Professors Gabriela Almeida and Ana Paula Serro were funded.

The Project “Quick COVID-19 Detection (QuiCoviDe)”, led by Professor Gabriela Almeida, gathers a multidisciplinary team aiming at developing a quick, cost-effective and point-of-care test to detect SARS-CoV-2 directly in samples. This portable optoelectronic immunosensor - the QuiCoviDe - targets viral surface proteins, instead of RNA or antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, solving current issues on test supply, long time-to-results, and costs.

The Project “Sterilization of PPE with gamma radiation with a view to its reuse”, led by Professor Ana Paula Serro, will assess the possibility of using gamma radiation to sterilize different types of personal protective equipment (PPE), in order to respond to the emerging needs of the Pandemic COVID-19. The reuse of PPE, in an efficient and safe way, constitutes an added value for the units providing health care, reducing costs, dependence on suppliers and the environmental impact associated with the use of disposable material.