The LSU Health Shreveport Foundation has received a $10,000 gift from the U.L. Coleman Companies to support the effort to provide COVID-19 testing to first responders in north Louisiana.
As U.L. Coleman Companies leadership evaluated options to meet needs in the community related to COVID-19, it determined that support of testing would not only impact the health of our community, but its ability to return to work based on testing data.
“I am so grateful we have an institution like LSU Health Shreveport which is able to address this pandemic in numerous ways. As a property owner dealing with thousands of tenants, supporting testing for our first responders is an honor because of the services and sacrifices they make each day, but particularly during this pandemic,” stated Linc Coleman, President & CEO of U. L. Coleman Properties.
Researchers at LSU Health Shreveport established their own indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a lab-based test that can determine the amount of COVID-19 antibodies in a patient sample. Antibodies will be detected against the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
The LSUHS test is different from those that may become commercially available because it allows for the measuring of antibody titers, which shows the amount of antibodies in a person’s blood, and if linked to neutralization assays, could possibly determine whether somebody is immune.
“I deeply appreciate the support of U. L. Coleman Companies, as well as all who have contributed to this testing. Every dollar contributed is critical to our expansion of COVID-19 testing, which is an expensive endeavor when delivered at the accuracy level provided by our Emerging Viral Threat and Serology lab,” shared LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G. E. Ghali, DDS, MD, FACS, FRCS(Ed).
