SLAS Technology (Oct 2022)
Buildout and integration of an automated high-throughput CLIA laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 testing on a large urban campus
- Lena Landaverde,
- David McIntyre,
- James Robson,
- Dany Fu,
- Luis Ortiz,
- Rita Chen,
- Samuel M.D. Oliveira,
- Andy Fan,
- Amy Barrett,
- Stephen P. Burgay,
- Stephen Choate,
- David Corbett,
- Lynn Doucette-Stamm,
- Kevin Gonzales,
- Davidson H. Hamer,
- Lilly Huang,
- Shari Huval,
- Christopher Knight,
- Carrie Landa,
- Diane Lindquist,
- Kelly Lockard,
- Trevor L. Macdowell,
- Elizabeth Mauro,
- Colleen McGinty,
- Candice Miller,
- Maura Monahan,
- Randall Moore,
- Judy Platt,
- Lloyd Rolles,
- Jeffrey Roy,
- Tracey Schroeder,
- Dean R. Tolan,
- Ann Zaia,
- Robert A. Brown,
- Gloria Waters,
- Douglas Densmore,
- Catherine M. Klapperich
Affiliations
- Lena Landaverde
- Precision Diagnostics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA; Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA; Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA
- David McIntyre
- Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA; Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
- James Robson
- Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Dany Fu
- Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Software & Application Innovation Lab, Hariri Institute for Computing, Boston University, Boston, MA; Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Luis Ortiz
- Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA; Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Rita Chen
- Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Samuel M.D. Oliveira
- Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Andy Fan
- Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Amy Barrett
- Office of the Provost, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Stephen P. Burgay
- Office of External Affairs, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Stephen Choate
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- David Corbett
- Health Information Privacy Resources, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Lynn Doucette-Stamm
- Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Kevin Gonzales
- BU Healthway, Boston University, Boston, MA; Office of Research, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Davidson H. Hamer
- Precision Diagnostics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA; Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA; Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA; National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, Boston, MA
- Lilly Huang
- Office of General Counsel, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Shari Huval
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Christopher Knight
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Carrie Landa
- Student Health Services, Healthway, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Diane Lindquist
- Health Privacy and Compliance, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Kelly Lockard
- Continuous Improvement & Data Analytics, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Trevor L. Macdowell
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Elizabeth Mauro
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Colleen McGinty
- Operations, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Candice Miller
- Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Maura Monahan
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Randall Moore
- Sourcing and Procurement, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Judy Platt
- Student Health Services, Healthway, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Lloyd Rolles
- Student Health Services, Healthway, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
- Jeffrey Roy
- Sourcing and Procurement, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Tracey Schroeder
- Information Services & Technology, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Dean R. Tolan
- Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; HFI Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Ann Zaia
- Occupational Health Center, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Robert A. Brown
- College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA; Office of the President, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Gloria Waters
- Office of Research, Boston University, Boston, MA; College of Health and Rehabilitation Services, Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Douglas Densmore
- Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Prototyping Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA; Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
- Catherine M. Klapperich
- Precision Diagnostics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA; Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA; Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory, Boston University, Boston, MA; Corresponding author: 44 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215
- Journal volume & issue
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Vol. 27,
no. 5
pp. 302 – 311
Abstract
In 2019, the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in Wuhan, China, and by early 2020 the first cases were identified in the United States. SARS-CoV-2 infections increased in the US causing many states to implement stay-at-home orders and additional safety precautions to mitigate potential outbreaks. As policies changed throughout the pandemic and restrictions lifted, there was an increase in demand for COVID-19 testing which was costly, difficult to obtain, or had long turn-around times. Some academic institutions, including Boston University (BU), created an on-campus COVID-19 screening protocol as part of a plan for the safe return of students, faculty, and staff to campus with the option for in-person classes. At BU, we put together an automated high-throughput clinical testing laboratory with the capacity to run 45,000 individual tests weekly by Fall of 2020, with a purpose-built clinical testing laboratory, a multiplexed reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) test, robotic instrumentation, and trained staff. There were many challenges including supply chain issues for personal protective equipment and testing materials in addition to equipment that were in high demand. The BU Clinical Testing Laboratory (CTL) was operational at the start of Fall 2020 and performed over 1 million SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests during the 2020-2021 academic year.
