Cairo University Establishes New Virus Reference Lab That Will Kickstart Vaccine Production
With new viral strains catching the world off guard, as well as seasonal diseases of similar symptoms that create disruption and overload in Egypt’s hospitals, officials at Cairo University are here to provide new methods to tackle the COVID-19 global pandemic.
On Thursday, the President of Cairo University Mohamed Othman Al-Khosht convened a conference to discuss the importance of establishing a reference laboratory for viruses, with housing for experimental animals as well as units that can be used in manufacturing vaccines.
Discussions at the meeting included the importance of establishing a reference laboratory for viruses as well as a house for experimental animals to serve as an integrated laboratory for detecting viruses and a fortress against infectious diseases and viruses that are expected to cause mutations.
The Supervisor of Graduate Studies and Research Affairs, the Deans of the Faculties of Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine, and Nanotechnology, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine for Education and Student Affairs, the Head of Clinical Pathology Department, the Head of the Faculty of Medicine’s Endemic Diseases Department, and the Director of Qasr al-Infection Ainy’s Control Unit were among those who have attended.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Cairo University make significant strides in the healthcare field, as this lab will have the capability to contribute to the pre-production stage, as well as the ability to manufacture modern serums and vaccines and have a quick response to detecting any mutations that may arise now or in the future, such as influenza and COVID-19, as well as the many viruses that infect animals and can cause severe damage to livestock, such as bird flu.
