Tapping his expertise in malaria research, Professor Peter Preiser of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) came up with a paper-strip test to detect proteins produced by the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The professor of molecular genetics and cell biology did this by adapting technology he had created to differentiate between types of malaria parasites, as he was keenly aware of the need for reliable diagnostics and rapid response in the Covid-19 crisis. The result is a cellulose-based test that is able to recognise Sars-CoV-2 proteins in a patient's blood sample. If the viral proteins are present, the paper strip changes from white to blue in 10 minutes.