Paula Costello
Animal and Plant Health Agency, MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit
Papers
2
Total Citations
51
H-Index
2
About
Dr. Paula Costello is a molecular diagnostics researcher whose work has been pivotal in advancing rapid, point-of-care detection of infectious diseases, most notably SARS-CoV-2. Her primary research focuses on simplifying sample preparation and leveraging reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) to enable direct viral detection without the need for complex RNA extraction. Costello’s major contribution lies in optimizing a streamlined protocol that treats saliva samples with a simple mucolytic agent, allowing for direct RT-LAMP analysis. This innovation significantly reduces testing time, cost, and reliance on specialized laboratory equipment, making mass screening more accessible. Her most-cited paper (44 citations) details this preliminary optimization, demonstrating that a 1:1 dilution in Mucol effectively reduces saliva viscosity and inhibitors, permitting rapid and direct SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection. This work has been instrumental in expanding testing capabilities, particularly in resource-limited settings. By addressing a critical bottleneck in molecular diagnostics, Costello’s research continues to influence the development of faster, simpler, and more scalable diagnostic tools for emerging pathogens.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2