Gigi Lam English teacher
Hong Kong Science Stars Last year, we all became very aware of how quickly viruses can spread! This is why it’s important for us to diagnose illnesses and diseases - we want to stop them in their tracks. Luckily, Hong Kong scientists are leading the way in this difficult task. Read about their important work and be inspired - can you become a Hong Kong science star too? A team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has recently developed a microrobot system called QuickCAS, which can quickly find common pathogens. Pathogens are the germs which cause illnesses and diseases.
How does QuickCAS work?
Why is QuickCAS better?
Samples are collected from patients and added to the QuickCAS chip that has microrobots (mini robots) that can find pathogens. The sample chip is then inserted into QuickCAS to be analysed.
QuickCAS is better than some of the other methods that are being used to detect germs and viruses. QuickCAS is cheaper and gives results very quickly, in only 15-30 minutes. It is easy to use, which makes the workload and risks much less for medical staff. Unlike other methods, the microrobots don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen, so they can be stored and easily transported at room temperature. This means that this system can be used everywhere, even in isolated places.
What is the future of QuickCAS? The CUHK team is working hard to develop this system so that QuickCAS can be used to diagnose COVID-19. Hopefully the research goes well and COVID-19 can be detected much more quickly in the future!
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