The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust of Muscatine, Iowa, has committed $300,793 over two years to support an Iowa State University researcher’s group that is developing a quick-response paper test strip using saliva to detect coronavirus infection.
“We have been developing this technology since late spring 2020 soon after the pandemic began. This support has allowed us to make the leap to the next stage and to accelerate progress,” said Robbyn Anand, an Iowa State assistant professor of chemistry and leader of the project.
A rapid test strip, or lateral flow assay, is a simple-to-use diagnostic device used to confirm the presence or absence of pathogens or biomarkers in humans or animals. The most commonly known type of lateral flow rapid test strip is the pregnancy test.