MSN: Using Next Generation Sequencing, the Greehey CCRI bioinformatics team is helping determine COVID19 strains (Chen, Lai, Zheng, Wang Labs)
“Since the coronavirus pandemic began almost two years ago there have been over a dozen strains of the virus. Here at UT Health San Antonio, they have a lab which differentiates between each of the strains in an effort to save lives.
UT Health San Antonio uses a technology called next-generation sequencing to differentiate the genetic makeup of thousands of genes at a time from many different samples. Doing this goes a long way in the fight against COVID-19.
“It’s very exciting that we’re doing the testing right here in San Antonio,” said Dr. Marjorie David who is the Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at UT Health San Antonio.
Her lab sequences COVID-19 virus samples in partnership with UT Health San Antonio’s Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, Genome Sequencing Facility, and GCCRI’s bioinformatics team. They test and sequence samples from UT Health San Antonio’s operations as well as from University Health and nonprofit Community Labs. The work is funded by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and the Texas Department of State Health Services.”
SOURCE: MSN Health