CMP's contribution will allow the University of La Serena to launch a laboratory and personnel that can join the regional effort to locally diagnose SARS CoV-2 cases, shortening response times.

In order to improve regional SARS CoV-2 diagnostic capabilities, Compañía Minera del Pacífico (CMP) delivered a type A2 Biosafety Cabinet to the University of La Serena, which will allow it to have the Silvigenomics and Biotechnology Laboratory located in the Department. of Biology, and reconvert it to the service of pandemic control.

This equipment is a key condition to advance the university's willingness to join the regional COVID-19 diagnostic network, as it provides security to the academic staff who will put their sample analysis skills to use.

The donation by CMP was highlighted by the rector Dr. Nibaldo Avilés, who highlighted that “collaboration between all relevant actors in the territory becomes essential to complement the measures adopted by the health authorities of the country and the region. In this sense, the donation made by Compañía Minera del Pacífico demonstrates its deep sense of social responsibility and commitment to achieving the well-being of the inhabitants of the region and the country.”

For his part, the general manager of CMP, Francisco Carvajal, pointed out that “the support we can give to society with this joint work is very important. The university and private companies are fundamental to the challenge that this pandemic poses to us, and improving the capacity for analysis and early detection of the coronavirus is key to being able to face it. "We hope that the biosafety cabinet can be operational soon, to mitigate and that the effects are not as serious as in other countries."

The next steps for the ULS are to continue with the guidelines established by the Coquimbo Health Service, regarding the review of the facilities, review of the biosafety protocols, and the final authorization to operate, an issue that is estimated to occur within the next weeks.

“CMP's donation is the link we needed to continue with the steps that the authorities require to authorize the operation of the laboratory. As ULS we will do our best work trying to accelerate compliance with the requirements that are necessary for the final certification that allows the start of the operation,” explained Dr. Cristian Ibáñez, who together with the academics Dr. Karina Stucken and Dr. Marcela Gatica, will be responsible for the analysis of SARS CoV-2 samples.

Biosafety Cabinet type A2

A Biosafety Cabinet is a chamber or cubicle of variable size, built, generally in steel, that has a front glass window of variable height that has a ventilation system made up of an electric motor, a fan and a set of ducts that When operating, they generate a pressure condition inside that is negative in relation to the pressure of the environment in the laboratory. This condition causes the air inside the cabinet to flow through the front opening, generating an air curtain that protects the operator.

It should be noted that there are different types of Biosafety Cabinets and the one that was donated to the ULS is the GBS type A2, which will allow the handling of microorganisms that can be transmitted by air and that, due to their nature, could cause health problems.

Without a Biosafety Cabinet, the neutralization of the SARS CoV-2 virus that could be contained in the samples from the upper respiratory tract (throat or nose) that would have to be sent by the Coquimbo Health Service or others could not be safely carried out.

Specifically, this will allow the nasopharyngeal swab to be safely handled with samples that could eventually contain SARS CoV-2.

Once this health emergency has passed, the GBS type A2 will serve to provide security in the manipulation of various microorganisms, mainly bacteria, that are regularly used in the Silvigenomics and Biotechnology laboratory.

Regional government

With the purpose of accompanying the regional community in this pandemic and future health emergencies due to fungi, viruses or bacteria, the University of La Serena presented this week to the Regional Councilors the request for support for the acquisition of three pieces of equipment that would allow it to provide more capabilities to the region in the face of threats such as those described. "In this way - explains Cristian Ibáñez - the region could face a future epidemic or pandemic caused by microorganisms, with a local laboratory integrated into the health system, which is available at no cost to the community."

Unlike what we are experiencing today, where the Coquimbo Region is one of the 3 regions of the country that does not have local capacity to analyze samples, depending on other regions. “In the region, and particularly at the ULS, there is scientific talent to carry out these analyses. What we need is technology. That is why the CMP's contribution was so important. Without them, we could not have enabled the laboratory for this pandemic, and even so, we still have to receive authorization to operate,” says the academic.