/oss/taxonomy/term/4014/all en /oss/article/covid-19/ruminations-rapid-tests <p>To test or not to test, that is the question, to steal a line from Shakespeare. Actually, when to test is a more important query because there is no doubt that appropriate testing of the population can cut down infections by identifying people who may be a threat to others and advising them to self-isolate. The gold standard for detecting the presence of the virus in secretions is the so-called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test which identifies genetic material from the virus. It does this very well, capable of picking up infection just a couple of days after exposure to the virus.</p> Thu, 23 Dec 2021 23:53:20 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8962 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-health-general-science/humans-sometimes-get-way-science <p>I never expected to read the word “glooped” in a BBC article. An<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56556806"> investigation by the BBC programme Panorama</a> recently revealed troubling behaviour on the part of some technicians at one of the major UK COVID-19 testing laboratories. These laboratories receive the swabs that went up the nose and down the throat of potential coronavirus hosts. Technicians there must extract the genetic material present and try to amplify coronavirus-specific sequences using a test known as PCR to check for the presence of the virus.</p> Fri, 02 Apr 2021 19:50:04 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8676 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-general-science/worlds-second-best-molecule-year <p>The COVID-19 pandemic has made visible so many unsung heroes. Essential workers, parents who must work from home and care for their children, healthcare personnel. But there is one hero whose positive impact on the pandemic remains unsung and for good reasons. It doesn’t technically qualify as a hero because it’s not even alive. It’s a molecule but not any molecule, mind you. The prestigious journal <i>Science </i>dedicated<a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/246/4937/1543.long"> its Christmas 1989 cover</a> to throwing flowers at it, calling it “the molecule of the year.”</p> Thu, 11 Feb 2021 19:29:57 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8615 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-health/looking-forward-new-ways-test-covid-19 <p> </p> <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in</em><span> </span><a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-looking-forward-to-new-ways-to-test-for-covid-19/wcm/0ccf3f78-72aa-4503-a432-6781bd8bdc6b/">The Montreal Gazette<span>.</span></a></p> Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:24:29 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 8400 at /oss /oss/article/how-do-we-rapidly-test-covid-19 <p>There’s a lot of talk about testing for the new coronavirus and how testing kits are in short supply in certain areas. But what few people explain is what is inside this mystery box. How are scientists able to test not only for the presence of <i>a </i>virus in a nose swab, but of this specific virus?</p> <p>The core idea behind the test is to make many copies of a unique part of the virus’ genetic code using a technique called PCR. And if you’re familiar with photocopies, you can understand how this process works in the lab.</p> Wed, 11 Mar 2020 19:25:31 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8173 at /oss /oss/article/technology-history/man-who-photocopied-dna-and-also-saw-talking-fluorescent-raccoon <p>It may be surprising to learn that the credited inventor of the most important workhorse in molecular biology—the polymerase chain reaction or PCR—once claimed he had seen<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1998/11/03/nobel-chemist-kary-mullis-making-waves-as-a-mind-surfer/31e7e720-44e4-49ff-8458-a9822cdcb47e/"> a talking fluorescent raccoon</a> near his cabin, which may or may not have been an alien.</p> Thu, 15 Aug 2019 17:30:49 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7873 at /oss