'Supercharged' cells help scientists analyse SARS-CoV-2 variants faster
Dr Anupriya Aggarwal putting on PPE, in preparation to enter the PC3 containment lab. The team looked at hundreds of different cells to identify ones that would allow the virus to replicate as quickly and effectively as possible. Photo: Kirby Institute/UNSW – Richard Freeman
Associate Professor Stuart Turville inside Kirby Institute’s PC3 containment lab. A/Prof Turville calls these cells the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ – because they allow his team to capture variants of the virus quicker than any other method. Photo: Kirby Institute/UNSW – Richard Freeman
L-R: Dr Anupriya Aggarwal, Dr Alberto Ospina Stella, and Associate Professor Stuart Turville working
inside Kirby Institute’s PC3 containment lab. To respond to COVID-19 effectively, scientists need to be able to understand complex information about the virus as quickly as possible. Photo: Kirby Institute/UNSW – Richard Freeman
Dr Anupriya Aggarwal and Dr Alberto Ospina Stella inside Kirby Institute’s PC3 containment lab. “In these genetically developed cells, the virus replicates four times faster than through any other techniques currently published in the scientific literature,” A/Prof. Turville says. Photo: Kirby Institute/UNSW – Richard Freeman
The P.1 lineage, colloquially known as Brazilian COVID-19, entering cells, 2-3 days post culture, 20x microscope objective. Photo: Kirby Institute – Stuart Turville
The B.1.351 lineage, colloquially known as South African COVID-19, entering cells, 2-3 days post culture, 20x microscope objective. Photo: Kirby Institute – Stuart Turville
Researchers at UNSW Sydney’s Kirby Institute have developed cells that allow them to test the effect of SARS-CoV-2 faster than anywhere else in the world.
The team, led by Associate Professor Stuart Turville, use these genetically “supercharged” cells to quickly understand the dynamics of different variants of the virus, to test their ability to evade vaccines, and to inform the public health response in real time.