Edinburgh researchers are joining forces with commercial companies to quickly develop new technologies to help tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. The University’s commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, is streamlining its usual procedures for work between academic researchers and industry to allow joint research to begin without delay.Joint projects already under way include speeding up the manufacture of antiseptic products, the development of a rapid point-of-care test for the virus, and using the sewage system to monitor the population’s Covid-19 infection rate.CollaborationUniversity engineers are working closely with colleagues in industry to devise ways to scale-up delivery of an existing antiseptic product. Meanwhile, physicists are working to develop a new gel version of a liquid antiseptic and seeking a way to disinfect used face masks in the NHS. Researchers from the University’s School of Biological Sciences are working with a major US manufacturer to find a new way to chemically bond antimicrobial agents to paper fibres. This could enable a range of products such as facemasks, tissues and dressings to kill the Covid-19 virus.It is essential that we apply our exceptional academic talent to help develop and deploy interventions to support the NHS and tackle this global crisis as quickly as possible. To expedite this, we have paused commercial considerations to let the collaborative work get under way immediately.”Dr George BaxterChief Executive Officer, Edinburgh InnovationsRelated linksEdinburgh InnovationsAssociated image © Naeblys via Getty Images Publication date 01 Apr, 2020
