Paula Alves interview on SIC Notícias | Serology4Covid

Watch the full interview here

Paula Alves, CEO of iBET, was interviewed on the National Television show “Edição da Manhã” (SIC Notícias) about Serology4Covid consortium, an initiative that gathers five scientific institutions to create a serological test for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

In this interview, Paula Alves comments the role of iBET in the consortium and the most recent progress in the development of a highly sensitive serological test to be used at national level.

Selected interview quotes:

• “This partnership came at a time when the pandemic was emerging here in Portugal. We (…) decided to get together and, in a short time, develop a test (…) to help the health authorities”
• “Our aim is to ensure that the test work well and have reliable results (…) At this stage, the consortium is already testing serum samples to validate that the test provides reliable results”
• “We are still learning about the protection mechanisms of this virus and whether people who are infected are protected”
• “This test requires proteins that are produced in human cells which brings an added cost to this type of tests. By optimizing the process and understanding how to better produce and purify these proteins (…) we are trying to reduce this cost”