Carbondale Reporter

The Southern Illinois University-Carbondale has signed a contract to continue providing essential ingredients for COVID-19 test kits.

According to The Southern, SIU delivered its scheduled last shipment of Viral Transport Medium (VTM) for the test kits two weeks ago to state officials, per their agreement. SIU has delivered 40,000 vials in total. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to unfold, however, the state requested that SIU continue to provide more. The ingredient helps to preserve the DNA of the virus for a longer period of time, which allows it to be tested. 

Gary Kinsel, vice chancellor for research at SIU, praised the team for the work it has provided to the state. 

“This work confirms the recognition by the State of Illinois of the enormous potential for university research laboratories, and especially the research laboratories of SIU-Carbondale, to help address the pandemic crisis,” Kinsel said.

As the virus ramped up in April, state leaders called on universities to make VTM, which suddenly was a scarce resource due to increased demand. Along with other universities, SIU heeded the call and provided its first set of 10,000 VTM vials to the state on April 17. 

Scott Hamilton-Brehm, assistant professor of microbiology, is helping with the VTM production. He said the vials are incredibly important as health professionals determine how to treat those with the coronavirus. 

As I am training new people to help in the lab, I will hold up one vial and say, ‘This is a person’s future, knowing how they should proceed with or without the virus,’” Hamilton-Brehm said. “We are building the future of reopening Illinois, person by person. It fortifies us. It is good to know that a small group such as us at SIU can meet the challenge and be successful.”