[unpad.ac.id, 14/5/2020] Universitas Padjadjaran researchers collaborated with Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) researchers and the biotechnology industry to develop two test kits that could detect the presence of the COVID-19 virus, namely Deteksi CePAD and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). The Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, hoped to be able to use it immediately to help deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in West Java.
Head of the Unpad Research Center for Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Prof. Dr. Toto Subroto, MS., explained that the Deteksi CePAD tool was a rapid test that could also detect the presence of the virus unlike the current rapid test. The second tool, SPR, functioned like a PCR but without a laboratory. This tool can detect interactions between viruses and antibodies. If an interaction occurs, it can be said to be a positive result.
“This tool is cheaper, we will still parallel the accuracy, but it has shown positive results. The results are good, [it] can specifically detect SARS-CoV-2,” explained Prof. Toto Subroto. Unpad Rector, Prof. Rina Indiastuti said, this research shows a commitment that universities care about how to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19.