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LABORATORY NETWORK

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Laboratories
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Variants

LABORATORY NETWORK

The EuCARE laboratories perform the required virological and immunological assays to answer the key questions on SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the issues of escape from vaccination or natural immunization with another variant and that of detectability by specific diagnostic systems.

As a basis for most activities, a library of variants has been shared among participants following the necessary Material Transfer Agreements. In general, each laboratory has generated a collection of isolates characterized by full-genome sequencing. Once all the sequences are shared, a consensus library will be agreed upon and physically made available to the laboratories depending on the different tasks. This process has been regularly repeated along with the emergence of novel variants of interest, as indicated by the national and international agencies monitoring SARS-CoV-2 evolution as well as resulting from EuCARE’s own work. Training and protocols sharing have been complementing this activity.

The laboratory network provides the following services in the context of the planned studies

Full-length sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, a crucial activity to characterize novel variants in specific contexts of interest, e.g., breakthrough infection in a vaccine recipient. Titration of neutralizing antibodies against different variants. This is the key measurement to assess the ability of antibodies elicited by natural infection and/or vaccination to neutralize the reference panel of virus variants. Assessment of the T cell response against different variants. While titration of neutralizing antibodies is the standard method to assess immunity following natural infection or vaccination, T cells play a complementary and relevant role in viral immunology. One important aim of the project is to define the level of protection and cross-protection mediated by T cells in subjects infected and/or vaccinated. Analysis of different antigen and RNA-based commercial systems for their ability to detect the different SARS-CoV-2 variants. This activity is deemed necessary to have the diagnostic systems updated to detect newly emerging variants, avoiding false-negative results.