The arrival of COVID-19 in the country brought countless changes and adjustments. Remote work, distance learning, online meetings, and even concerts on social media.
Each of us in our own corner, following a simple yet challenging directive: stay home.
However, there are those who must go out every day to confront this pandemic. Doctors and healthcare workers? Yes, they are doing their utmost to combat this virus, but today we want to share the experience of some of the people who are “giving it their all” in the laboratories to increase the number of tests performed in the country.
A week before the first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the country, ATGen was the first private laboratory to have the diagnostic test for detecting the virus. This was a major contribution to the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and represented an unprecedented workload for the laboratory since the first case appeared in the country.
During the early days, ATGen was the only private laboratory tasked with carrying out this work. In this context, staff members, faculty, advanced students, and graduates from Universidad ORT Uruguay the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Center volunteered their time and technological platforms to meet the growing demand for testing amid the pandemic.
The initiative came from Carlos Sanguinetti, academic coordinator of Biotechnology at ORT, who emphasized that this is a completely voluntary and altruistic effort: “Those who are participating are doing so of their own free will.”
Experiences
María Pía Campot holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from ORT and serves as assistant coordinator of the Biotechnology Laboratory at Universidad ORT Uruguay. She was one of the people who joined the project at ATGen. “This opportunity arose from our existing relationship with ATGen, whom we’ve known for some time,” Campot said.
“We approach our day-to-day work with great enthusiasm, striving to support one another among the ATGen staff and those we’re collaborating with. We finish the day very tired, but convinced that we do our very best during the day so that the diagnostic information is ready by nightfall in a timely and proper manner,” said Campot.
Mariana Umpiérrez, M.S. in Chemistry and assistant coordinator of the Biotechnology Laboratory at ORT, is another professional who applied to be part of this initiative. She described—in broad terms—how sample processing works: “There are several stages: first, the samples arrive; then they are received, labeled, assigned a code, and entered into the system; and only then do those samples go to the people performing the extractions. That takes some time—between two and two and a half hours—during which two of us process 48 samples. Afterward, we move on to the second stage, which is real-time PCR. The analysis itself is performed, and it takes time because we process several samples and must be very careful not to make mistakes. While it’s not extremely difficult to do, you do have to pay close attention. Those results are then validated, reports are generated, and they are sent to the MSP.”
Regarding the contribution that the work at ATGen currently generates, Umpiérrez emphasized: “The important thing is to try to meet the demand for diagnostics, not only to provide answers to people who test positive, but also, in this case, to contribute at the epidemiological level and understand how the transmission of the virus is evolving.”
In addition to the staff members who decided to volunteer at ATGen because they understand the importance of processing these samples for the country, advanced students and graduates from Universidad ORT Uruguay joined this initiative.
Rodrigo Cabrera is an advanced student in the Biotechnology Bachelor’s program at ORT. As an observer of the situation unfolding in the country, he understood that it was important to offer support from his own position: “I decided to apply when I saw that there are many people who are fighting and stepping up, especially those working in the healthcare system. I felt I had to do my part too. I contacted Carlos Sanguinetti and told him: ‘Look, I want to help. I’m asking that, if there’s a chance, you consider me on a volunteer basis. I want to go and do my part.” That’s how Rodrigo began working at ATGen to assist with processing samples for COVID-19 testing.
On his first day at ATGen, Cabrera confirmed his suspicions: the workload is heavy, and demand is growing. “The number of samples coming in is staggering. Everyone is doing a great job, but there are many samples to analyze and decisions to make. Everyone approaches their work with dedication and effort, and that’s why everything is going well. That’s my impression.”
While this is a major challenge, Rodrigo Cabrera emphasizes that it is also a valuable experience: “It’s a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. It’s an important form of complementary training.”
The work is arduous, the situation is complex for everyone, and high demands are the order of the day. New difficulties constantly arise, and daily tasks in the laboratory become challenges. However, collective effort and daily perseverance take center stage in this critical and unique context.
Amid so much alarming news, amid situations of chaos and uncertainty, hearing stories of collaboration, mutual support, dedication, and commitment brings hope and inspires pride and admiration.