The pandemic (Covid-19) unleashes an unprecedented fear and uncertainty among humans regarding life and the future of living things. As they say that necessity is the mother of all inventions, therefore, Covid-19 also brought about innovative technologies which are helping in the field of biotech for diagnoses, treatment, and prevention of future pandemics of such sort.
The complex world of biotech has gained a lot of significance and recognition over the last decade due to the unexpected diseases and the changing nature of technology in all fields including medical sciences. Similarly, the pharmaceutical industry has also evolved due to the highly experimental nature of bio-tech which is helping in creating preventive drugs, inventing medical equipment and machines, building highly innovative prosthetics and mobility devices, early disease detection systems, etc.
The Covid-19 testing systems have also been advanced and are still being made further efficient to prevent such viruses from spreading in the human population. From detection and testing systems to producing Covid-19 vaccines, researchers are taking giant leaps with the help of advanced Biotech Devices.
Here are the top 5 biotech devices created in the wake of the pandemic:
- Celium – the data visualization tool
The famous biotech firm AbCellera has launched Celium which is a data visualization tool used for collecting information regarding antibodies. The firm has already been working on antibodies data collection for the pandemic-like previous viruses however the drive was taken to another level when it was accompanied by the Celium device. This device intercepts all the collected data and finds the most suitable treatment for the patient. Thus, with the help of Celium, the “antibody treatment has been streamlined progressively”, The Scientist.
- ID NOW – the respiratory disease detection device
ID NOW is a creation of the Abbott company that has been working on respiratory disease detection trials since 2014. However, this device is meant to detect Covid-19 in less than 15 minutes. It works by the principle of temperature control by heating the nasal samples in acidic solutions which exposes the virus’ RNA which tells about the virus type. The device is also being experimented with to be useful for detecting sexually transmitted diseases.
- GRAF – the genomic analysis platform
The prominent bioinformatics firm Seven Bridges has developed a genomic analysis platform named GRAF which uses a method of detecting all genomic information of a person and collects its data. The human is attached with GRAF which transfers all data through a graph which helps in understanding the genetic history and a possible cure for the patients. The device also compares the data with other genomes and thus further helps is in disease treatment.
- Tessa – the gene therapy switch
The biotech company OXEGENE has created a “gene switch” which can shut off the virus’ RNA in the human genes. The technology relies on the gene therapy which has already got traction in the past decade for altering the genetic material for health reasons.
- TotalSeq –C – the cell sequencing and protein screening system
BioLegend has launched a protein screening system that is essential for understanding the disease-carrying protein cell. This system works by linking the antibodies with oligonucleotides which are further sequenced to detect the presence of the virus-carrying protein. This cell sequencing system works well for the detection of almost any virus.
These top 5 Biotech Devices innovations are making a huge difference in the field of bio-sciences. The vaccines for Covid-19 have already been developed while the disease prevention systems are still evolving with the help of such technologies. Hopefully, these will help prevent future outbreaks.