UA ALUM CONTRIBUTING TO COVID-19 TESTING DEVELOPMENT
You may or may not have had a test for
Dr. Carol Duffy, who recently retired
– the NBA. While the target audience of
COVID-19, but if so, it most likely was a
from the department, shared “Annie is one of
SalivaDirectTM is the general population and
test via a nasal swab. The Grubaugh Lab at
the most intelligent, mature, and motivated
not necessarily athletes (with labs currently
Yale University has developed a test that can
students I’ve had the pleasure of working with.
being designated across the country to use
bypass that uncomfortable nasal swab, testing
She is one of those special students I know will
the protocol), Grubaugh found opportunity
for the novel coronavirus via saliva – and UA
go far and I will always remember fondly.”
in working with the NBA to accommodate
alum Annie Watkins is part of that lab group’s
While nasal swabs have been prone to
their need for frequent testing, as this project
efforts. During her undergraduate research
shortages over the last few months, the
had the potential to lead to developing a test
at UA, Annie initially joined the Department
SalivaDirect test developed by Grubaugh and
that could benefit the greater population.
of Biological Sciences intending to study
the Yale team, which received Emergency
Annie’s main role in this project has been
Alzheimer’s, but ended up finding her way
Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA in
to do much of the asymptomatic validation
to study the connection between Herpes
August, does not require any swab or specific
work through the partnership with the NBA.
Simplex Virus (HSV-1) and Alzheimer’s,
type of collection device, as the sample can
“Between another tech and myself we’ve
which led to an interest in virology and
be collected in any sterile container. “The
tested nearly 3800 saliva samples from NBA
applied, translational research.
ultimate goal of this work is to make testing
players, staff, and vendors since the end of
more accessible and affordable which is, and
June.” A preprint awaiting peer-reviewed
will continue to be, so important.”
publication is now available highlighting
“I almost definitely would not be in the program I currently am without my time at UA, and a good bit of that is due to the
According to the FDA, “Yale intends
the testing platform.Annie is currently a
research and faculty relationships I had in
to provide the SalivaDirect protocol to
2nd-year MPH student in Epidemiology
undergrad. I worked in Carol Duffy’s lab on a
interested laboratories as an ‘open source’
of Microbial Diseases with a concentration
few different HSV-1 projects – that work and
protocol. Because this test does not rely on
in Public Health Modeling at YSPH. Her
the time that I spent with Dr. Duffy and Dr. Yu
any proprietary equipment from Yale and can
current experience in graduate school may be
Wang really helped shape me as a scientist. I
use a variety of commercially available testing
different than what she anticipated a year ago
can’t speak highly enough of them as mentors.
components, it can be assembled and used in
“…but I’ve been so glad to be a part of it and
I also very much enjoyed Dr. Olson’s micro
high-complexity labs throughout the country.”
to work with this team to do what we can to
and pathogenic micro classes that further confirmed my interests in infectious diseases.”
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This testing method was developed thanks to some funding from an unusual source
make a difference in these crazy times.” ■
