In 2013, PUCRS will provide a new and important contribution to the academic field of health in Brazil. As a result of studies by the Research Group on Immunology and Immunodiagnostics and the recognition of the National Health Surveillance Agency, there will be a transfer of technology to the industry of in vitro diagnostic systems, which have been fully developed in Brazil. The main use of the first “kits” will be for HIV and hepatitis B and C screening in blood banks.
The scope of the initiative is highlighted by data from the Brazilian Chamber of Laboratory Diagnostics (CBDL): currently 70% of reagents used for local laboratory analysis are imported. Soon, there will be national alternatives with the same quality performance.
The activities of the Group are linked to the Immunodiagnostics Laboratory, located at the School of Pharmacy of PUCRS. This laboratory develops and validates immunodiagnostic systems with applications for research and diagnosis of infectious and autoimmune diseases, toxicological analysis, and also, in the future, for veterinary analysis. The studied in vitro diagnostic systems are structured with classical and innovative modeling, with different kinds of molecular markers and detection systems. According to the leader of the research group, Professor Ana Ligia Bender, it is an important interest of the team the evaluation of diagnostic performance, prognosis, and monitoring of the therapeutic response by means of different biomarkers.
The consolidation of the laboratory, inaugurated in 2010 and coordinated by Professor Virgínia Minghelli Schmitt, was made possible by a triple-helix interaction (university-governmentcompany), joining together PUCRS, the funding agency Finep, and the company FK-Biotecnologia, allowing the development of technologies. For the research, a partnership is maintained with the PUCRS hospital, São Lucas Hospital (HSL).
In addition to the design of new in vitro diagnostic systems, the Group focuses on the training of specialized professionals, joining together undergraduate and graduate students.