In another significant gesture of solidarity and partnership, ICGEB has received 1000 Real-time fluorescent RT-PCR kits for detecting Covid19 in donation from its collaborating institutes in China.
With the strong support of CNCBD – China National Center for Biotechnology Development CNCBD , the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) and the Chinese humanitarian organisation Mammoth Foundation, 1000 rapid test kits have been donated to the ICGEB.
Earlier last month ICGEB received 20,000 protective face masks that were donated by its Chinese partners and distributed to the local Civil Protection authorities, in collaboration with Italian Regional Health officials.
The Real-time fluorescent RT-PCR kits for detecting the 2019 nCoV arrived in Trieste this week and, after a test run for efficacy through the Molecular Virology laboratory, will be passed to the Regional Health Authorities for deployment where most required.
The work of Alessandro Marcello and his team in the Molecular Virology laboratory at ICGEB Trieste, together with many of the ICGEB laboratories supporting these activities, has been tireless also in providing vital testing support and expertise to a vast number of institutes, hospitals, and industries both locally and across Member States during this time, as well as informed interaction with the media and press.
The ICGEB COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Web Resource Page, launched in March, offering Resources, Tools and Know-how to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has also been linked to the South-South Galaxy of the UNOSSC, to the Covid19 Innovation Hub of WIPO, and, through the Area Science Park, to the IASP – the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation. ICGEB is also part of the AREA Sistema Argo that has recently launched a call for funding for research and innovation projects vs Covid19.