Rice’s saliva test for COVID-19 available on campus

Rice students, faculty and staff who sign up for COVID-19 testing on campus have the option of taking a new type of test requiring a saliva sample instead of a nasal swab.

Pre-scheduled saliva tests are available at The Roost on the west side of Reckling Park as part of an ongoing clinical trial to compare results of the Rice-created test with those of clinically approved tests.

Self-administered nasal swab tests continue to be available at the East Gym behind Tudor Fieldhouse, and tests administered by medical personnel are available at Abercrombie Engineering Laboratory, Room C113.

The saliva test was developed by researchers at Rice and MD Anderson Cancer Center and is sometimes called LAMP in reference to loop-mediated isothermal amplification, the technology it uses to detect fragments of genetic material from the virus that causes COVID-19. LAMP works in a way that’s similar to polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, the clinically accepted standard for COVID-19 diagnosis.

Based on early results from the ongoing clinical trial, Rice and MD Anderson have applied to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization to use the LAMP test to diagnose COVID-19.

Until at least Feb. 15, faculty, staff and students who live or work on campus two or more days per week should be tested twice a week, with at least three days between tests. Tests may be scheduled at https://coronavirus.rice.edu/testing-resources.