Pandemic memories . . .
I want to start by saying that I am tremendously lucky to have had the privilege to hide away from […]
FRET (Förster or Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer) – concepts & examples
Don’t FRET – here are key things to know about FRET! (Förster or Fluorescent Resonance Energy Transfer) – quick bullet […]
The biochemistry of COVID tests – an overview of PCR & antigen tests
When it comes to COVID tests, there are 2 main types – “PCR tests” and “antigen tests.” PCR tests look […]
The biochemistry of rapid COVID-19 antigen tests
Ever wonder how rapid antigen tests work? Firstly, Do NOT confuse this with an antibody test! Finding a viral antigen […]
The basics & biochemistry of Paxlovid (Pfizer’s covid pill, which is an MPro inhibitor)
If you heard about Pfizer’s new COVID *pill* and wondering what it is… it’s an inhibitor of the coronavirus main […]
How rapid coronavirus tests work (ID NOW, antigen, etc.) – The biochemistry for geeks like me
Yesterday’s talk was for people like my dad who just want a brief overview. Today’s talk is for geeks like […]
Types of coronavirus tests – the Cliff’s notes version – molecular, antigen, antibody, etc.
For those who just want a quick-ish explanation with a bit of detail. If you want a long-ish explanation with […]
How coronavirus tests work (the classic RT-PCR ones)
Classical “molecular tests” for “the coronavirus” (SARS-CoV-2), use what is called Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), to detect SARS-CoV-2’s genetic […]
Neutralizing antibody biochemistry – what they are, why they’re awesome, and how they’re tested for
Antibodies are little proteins that specifically bind viral parts, such as viral proteins, like the spike protein. When someone’s infected, […]
Coronavirus Spike (S) protein biochemistry part 2: cleavage sites, glycosylation, and binding (receptor & antibody)
As promised, here’s part 2 of my talk on the coronavirus Spike (S) protein biochemistry. I go into cleavage sites, […]
