Charlotte’s Bioinformatics Lab informs Mecklenburg County’s COVID-19 public health approach

Charlotte’s Bioinformatics Lab informs Mecklenburg County’s COVID-19 public health approach

Photo by Susan Messina.

Since the emergence last summer of the COVID-19 delta variant, UNC Charlotte has partnered with the Mecklenburg County Health Department to provide genome sequencing — the process of extracting and examining RNA from positive COVID-19 tests — to help health officials determine where in the county the coronavirus and its variants are present and might prompt widespread infection. This specialized information leads to decisions that affect the overall health and safety of residents countywide.

In this interview to Inside UNC Charlotte, Dr. Rick Tankersley, vice chancellor for research and economic development, outlines UNC Charlotte’s sequencing expertise and how partnering with Mecklenburg County benefits the county, its residents, and the University.

Click here to read the full interview.

Charlotte’s Bioinformatics Lab informs Mecklenburg County’s COVID-19 public health approach