Global Institute for Food Security donates equipment to SHA to support COVID-19 diagnostic testing

A pricey and important piece of equipment has been loaned to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) by a University of Saskatchewan agricultural research institute.

CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security’s (GIFS) Steven Webb, says his staff use the “KingFisher” to test up to 100 samples of plant protein at a time.

The cost of the machine is upwards of $200,000.

“It’s a piece of equipment that allows for the rapid isolation of DNA, RNA or protein from biological samples. We use it at GIFS to accelerate plant breeding. And the health institute (SHA) is using the same device, the same machine to help with samples from patients to do diagnostics for COVID-19…in Ag we use the same high-end equipment that’s used in the medical field.”

The difference, Webb explains, is that their patients are plants and animals, rather than humans.

He says they were approached by the SHA a few weeks ago to help with materials and supplies for their own KingFisher, and they donated those.

“Because we are all part of the same community, we knew we had a piece of equipment and to further expand their testing capability, we were happy to lend them ours to help with the COVID-19 crisis.”

Webb says the KingFisher can be used to assess thousands of samples in just one day, although he doesn’t know how many additional samples the health authority can process. A third KingFisher has also been secured from another department.

Webb says GIFS is continuing to provide supplies like tip combs and microplates needed for use with the testing equipment, along with 3D materials for the College of Engineering to produce N-95 masks.

“I’m glad we are able to help in some way with this national crisis and international crisis,” he said. “I think everybody wants to get back to work and do some research, but we do need to do what’s right in the current situation.”