Researchers in Canada using algae to produce low-cost COVID-19 test kits

The team collaborated with Canadian integrated energy company Suncor to develop algae as a production factory to make necessary proteins to identify COVID-19 antibodies in someone previously infected with the disease.

The researchers noted that one of the limiting factors in developing large-scale serological testing is the ability to make significant quantities of the viral proteins on a cost-effective basis.

According to the researchers, algae are cheap to grow and can easily be engineered to produce the viral proteins.