STEM Speaker Series: COVID-19 Testing and Vaccines
Liam Higgins Oakton Community College Dr. Siva Ramu COVID-19 Testing and Vaccines Interesting aspects of the presentation: I was surprised by the number of ways that Dr. Ramu is able to detect the COVID virus strain. For example, I thought that most laboratories used either a PCR or a CRISPR machine to detect the virus, however Dr. Ramu discussed using Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction. I found it interesting how he used various types of Reverse Transcriptase to detect SARS-CoV2, for example in RTLAMP when RNA converts to cDNA and gets amplified it produces a colorimetric readout which changes the color by change in pH or Mg2+ exposure. I also liked how in all the types of tests to detect COVID there are always pros and cons and that there is no perfect test. a. Name pandemics which took place in 2002 and 2012? The pandemic that took place in 2002 was the SARS pandemic and then in 2012 it was the MERS pandemic. b. What are some of the ways that the COVID-19