Professor Jun-seok Lee’s team at Korea University… “It can also be applied to the development of therapeutics”
A molecular sensor capable of detecting avian influenza (AI) infection within 24 hours has been developed.
A joint research team led by Professor Jun-seok Lee from the Department of Pharmacology at Korea University College of Medicine and Professor Lee Dong-hwan from the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University announced on the 6th that they had succeeded in developing a molecular sensor (EliF) that selectively emits light only from cells infected with avian influenza.
According to the research team, the current diagnosis of bird flu was only made by using a gene amplification test (PCR) or an antibody against a virus protein, so it took several days to confirm the infection.
However, the research team explained that using the molecular sensor developed this time, it is possible to detect infection within 24 hours by quickly checking the cellular level changes that occur in the early stages of avian influenza virus infection with a fluorescence reaction.
Professor Jun-seok Lee, who is in charge of the research, said, “Using the EliF molecule, it is possible to study the characteristics of cells with a high infection rate in the early stage of avian influenza virus penetration in living organisms. It will be an important key to the development of therapeutics,” he said.
The results of this study were published in the latest issue of the international academic journal ‘Nature Communications’.
/happy news
