Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

In Korea, A Test That Can Detect Omicron Variant In 20 Minutes

In Korea, A Test That Can Detect Omicron Variant In 20 Minutes

POSTECH announced on the 10th that a research team led by Professor Lee Jung-wook of the Department of Chemical Engineering has developed molecular diagnostic technology that can detect the Omicron variant in just 20-30 minutes and will publish the results online.
Korean researchers have developed molecular diagnostics technology that can detect Omicron variants. The technology development has been currently completed, and it is expected to take time for commercialization.

POSTECH announced on the 10th that a research team led by Professor Lee Jung-wook of the Department of Chemical Engineering has developed molecular diagnostic technology that can detect the Omicron variant in just 20-30 minutes and will publish the results online.

Omicron is a variant in which 26-32 mutations in the spike, which is used to infect cells by the COVID-19 virus.

According to the research team, molecular diagnostics technology can distinguish mutations at the single-nucleotide base, so it can detect "Stealth Omicron," which are difficult to be detected by PCR tests.

Currently, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using three methods to detect COVID-19 variants: whole-genome analysis, target DNA (mutations such as spike protein) analysis, and PCR test.

In the case of the Delta variant, it can be detected by the current PCR test, but Omicron cannot. The newly developed technology this time is not a sequencing method that reads DNA or RNA sequences, but the molecular diagnostic technology.

The existing technology screens only specific areas of the virus, but the molecular diagnostic technology was designed to cause nucleic acid-binding reactions only when the COVID-19 RNA exists, enabling rapid detection.

According to Professor Lee, Omicron has a strong signal for N genes in PCR tests but has a weak signal for S genes. In the case of "Stealth Omicron," both N and S genes confirmed positive, making it difficult to distinguish from other variants. The molecular diagnostic technology works in different mechanisms from PCR, detecting the Omicron variant efficiently.

Unlike conventional technology that generally processes up to 96 samples per device, the new technology can process more than 125 in 30 minutes (more than 250 samples per hour). In addition, this technology does not need specialized equipment, thus can make diagnostic kits simply and easily.

As the method can develop the diagnosis kit in 4 days, it is expected to respond quickly even if a new variant or virus occurs in the future.

"I hope the disclosure of this technology will help us return to normal daily life as soon as possible," said Professor Lee. "We will try to quickly diagnose and respond to new variants that may come out after COVID-19."

This technology is currently before commercialization. However, it can be used as an auxiliary in current situations where the PCR test for Omicron has not been developed.

Professor Lee said, "I think this technology will be close to commercialization in the second half of next year after clinical trials. The reason why I disclose the technology is to share it with others to develop better technologies for overcoming COVID-19 and to allow underdeveloped countries also analyze COVID-19 variants."
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
×