Award value: £57,317.00. Development and optimal allocation of low-cost high-throughput PCR and immunoassay tests for COVID-19 in Mexico and Ecuador

  • Rios Solis, Leonardo (Principal Investigator)
  • Barba, Carlos (Principal Investigator)
  • Rios, Yasmin (Principal Investigator)
  • Caballero, Gabriel (Principal Investigator)

Project Details

Description

Mexico and Ecuador are expected to be greatly impacted by the COVID-19 and the government measures will hardly contain its spread. While Ecuador is already on phase 3, Mexico is expecting to enter such phase at the end of April where their whole economies will be shut down. In order to support a successful re-opening of their economies, this proposal will develop and implement new urgent methodologies as shown in the objectives below: ● Development to low-cost high-throughput PCR and immunoassays tests platforms ● Development of resource optimization models to adequately allocate diagnostic tests

Layman's description

Mexico and Ecuador are expected to be greatly impacted by the COVID-19 and the government measures will hardly contain its spread. While Ecuador is already on phase 3, Mexico is expecting to enter such phase at the end of April where their whole economies will be shut down. In order to support a successful re-opening of their economies, this proposal will develop and implement new urgent methodologies as shown in the objectives below: ● Development to low-cost high-throughput PCR and immunoassays tests platforms ● Development of resource optimization models to adequately allocate diagnostic tests

Key findings

This project delivered the following outcomes: • Increase test capacity through the development and validation of low-cost PCR automated diagnostic methodologies • Initial development of novel low-cost high throughput microfluidic immunoassays against COVID-19. • Model to optimize the allocation of the COVID-19 tests to detect zones that have been already immunized and thus could return to economic activities, zones that are at high risk and most of all, detect vulnerable zones where diagnostic resources could be urgently needed • Predictive model enabling to better estimate and respond to the dynamics and outbreaks of the virus in Mexico and Ecuador, which are predicted to vary drastically due to the sharp socio-economic differences of the population. • Engagement with Latin-American policymakers highlighting better predictive models to respond to the dynamics and outbreaks of the virus, taking into consideration the socio-economic differences of the population. ● Equipping Latin-American policymakers with data-driven predictive tools for the successful re-opening of their economy against COVID-19. ● Development of predictive tools for the anticipation of resurgent spots of COVID-19, especially focusing in low-income areas.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date20/04/2010/07/20