The National Omics Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) revealed that it has developed a COVID-19 RNA extraction kit and has already donated 82,000 units of the kit to medical officers nationwide.
Sithichoke Tangphatsornruang, NSTDA director, said researchers at the center have been working with personnel from Mahidol University and the Department of Medical Sciences to invent a new RNA extraction method to extract Covid for RT-PCR analysis by using a magnetic bead.
More importantly, the Thailand-made RNA kit can be used with the existing extraction machines found in every institute. It does not only detect RNA for human medication purposes but can also be used for plants and other animals.
Director Sithichoke also said the new method can be used with current chemicals and tools in any genetics laboratory. He added the kit has been put to a test by using samples from the Faculty of Tropical Medicine at Mahidol University and the Medical Sciences Department.
The results showed the Thailand-made RNA kit is as effective as the imported ones but costs only half the price. (NNT)
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