A research team funded by the National Institutes of Health has shown that commercially available rapid antigen tests can detect past and present variants of concern and has identified potential mutations that may impact test performance in the future.

The use of rapid Covid tests has soared this year with the spread of omicron and free shipments organized by the Biden Administration. But in August the US Food and Drug Administration cautioned that people who get a negative result should still repeat the test a couple days later. That communication has led to a lot of confusion. Source: Bloomberg

NIH announced it will provide funding to diagnostic test manufacturers for the development of the next generation of COVID-19 tests, with a focus on improved accessibility. Source: LabPulse 

NIH has issued two new funding opportunities for diagnostic test manufacturers to develop the next generation of COVID-19 diagnostics.

The NIH announced the winners of the DEBUT Challenge with prizes totaling $130,000

A new study that could have immediate implications for COVID-19 testing in schools found that with age-appropriate instructions, school-aged children can successfully use a nasal swab to obtain their own COVID-19 test specimen.

Using a suspended nanowire, a research team has created a tiny sensor that can simultaneously measure electrical and mechanical cellular responses in cardiac tissue, work promising for cardiac disease studies, drug testing and regenerative medicine. Source: Science Daily/University of Massachusetts Amherst

A team of researchers has developed a new class of biomaterial inks that mimic native characteristics of highly conductive human tissue, much like skin, which are essential for the ink to be used in 3D printing. Source: Science Daily/Texas A&M University

By combining optical measurements with ultrasound, researchers were able to study oxygen levels in the placenta, paving the way for a better understanding of this complex, crucial organ. Source: Science Daily/University of Pennsylvania