Episodes

  • The role of wastewater surveillance in the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

    The role of wastewater surveillance in the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
    May 14 2021
    With many public health experts believing that COVID-19 will continue to be a global health problem for years to come, the need for SARS-CoV-2 testing will remain. However, the type of testing will likely change. For regions where the virus is not very widespread and the number of diagnostic tests has declined, surveillance testing of wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 can be an efficient and cost-effective way to understand and anticipate potential outbreaks. In this episode, we speak with three scientists from Combinati, a company that has commercialised a digital PCR platform, on how their technology is being used by universities and municipalities in the United States to analyse wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, and the unique advantages of digital PCR for this application.
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    33 mins
  • Using artificial intelligence to counter COVID

    Using artificial intelligence to counter COVID
    Mar 10 2021
    A fairly new technology for medical settings, artificial intelligence (AI) has been critical for enabling deep insights and fast responses to the pandemic. In this podcast, we speak with scientists from three different companies on how they use AI to counter the pandemic, the challenges facing AI in a biomedical setting, and the real advantages that this powerful technology can bring to improve healthcare outcomes. Covering SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic testing, patient management in the hospital, and SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic imaging, our guests bring together an impressive depth of knowledge and range of viewpoints on the implementation of AI in medicine.
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    35 mins
  • Insights from an academic clinical research assay developer

    Insights from an academic clinical research assay developer
    Jan 22 2021
    The sudden onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic forced many academic research labs to pivot to diagnostic testing. In this episode, we speak with Priya Banada, an Assistant Professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, about her experiences pivoting from developing clinical research assays to running diagnostic assays, with added insights from a software vendor’s point-of-view from James Grayson. We also cover the pros and cons of different sample types, viral load, and how more clinicians should be asking to see Ct values.
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    30 mins
  • Focusing on the finer points of the SARS-CoV-2 testing workflow: false positives and false negatives

    Focusing on the finer points of the SARS-CoV-2 testing workflow: false positives and false negatives
    Dec 16 2020
    Like any diagnostic test, SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic assays are affected by the appearance of false positives and false negative results. In this episode, we speak with qPCR assay, workflow, and measurement experts Jim Huggett, Tania Nolan, and James Grayson about the causes of false positives and false negatives and how to mitigate these misleading events. Along the way we also touch on limits-of-detection, the role of workflow software in supporting the production of reliable results, and important aspects of the qPCR assay that clinicians and assay developers should keep in mind.
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    35 mins