techniques, microbiology

Lateral flow tests for COVID-19 can be very accurate and specific when used as directed, but introducing acidic fluids can cause the tests’ detecting antibodies to clump, which may read as a positive result.

The material turns bright pink when it comes in contact with an enzyme produced by the fungus Candida albicans.

Several labs have reported the formation of bacterial nanotubes under different, often contrasting conditions. What are these structures and why are they so hard to reproduce?

Differences in how researchers prepare and image samples can lead to discrepancies in their results.

Two studies this month point to pooches’ quick detection of SARS-CoV-2 on material that touched the skin of infected participants, although the pups’ accuracy does not match that of RT-PCR.

A study of human populations around the world detects differing rates of horizontal gene transfer in the microbiome depending on what kind of society those people live in.

Sam Wilson discusses a user-friendly set of resources that he and his collaborators developed to aid labs pivoting to study COVID-19.

With modern technologies unearthing novel bacterial and archaeal species by the dozens, hundreds, or even thousands, manually naming them all is no longer practical, scientists say.

The pandemic spurred innovation in a variety of ways, from CRISPR-based diagnostics to cell biology benchwork at home.

Researchers report a new way of generating the cells from induced pluripotent stem cells in hopes they will one day be used in blood transfusions.

A CRISPR-based, paper-strip test developed by Indian researchers performs as well as real-time PCR in identifying the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and returns results within an hour.

A small study shows artificial intelligence can pick out individuals with coronavirus infections, but ophthalmologists and AI experts say the approach is far from proven to be capable of distinguishing infections with SARS-CoV-2 from other ills.

Researchers are adapting CRISPR, synthetic biology, and other creative approaches to detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids outside of the lab or doctors’ offices, in the hopes of making diagnostics more affordable and accessible.

The school requires each student, faculty, and staff member to be tested twice per week and sends the results straight to their cell phones.

SalivaDirect, an open-source protocol, avoids many of the supply bottlenecks of other tools and could be offered for as little as $10 a test.

A proof-of-concept study finds some commonly used facial coverings may perform worse than no mask at all.

Universities and healthcare facilities are planning to use spit tests to conduct large-scale screening.

Scientists are lending their expertise—whatever it may be—to help develop tests, medical devices, and other tools to try to save lives during the pandemic.

Onsite testing at wastewater treatment plants could aid efforts to monitor for outbreaks of COVID-19 around the world, but such technologies are in the early stages of development.