The recent outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has quickly spread worldwide since its discovery in Wuhan city, China in December 2019. A comprehensive strategy, including surveillance, diagnostics, research, clinical treatment, and development of vaccines, is urgently needed to win the battle against COVID-19. The past three unprecedented outbreaks of emerging human coronavirus infections at the beginning of the 21st century have highlighted the importance of readily available, accurate, and rapid diagnostic technologies to contain emerging and re-emerging pandemics. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) based assays performed on respiratory specimens remain the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnostics. However, point-of-care technologies and serologic immunoassays are rapidly emerging with high sensitivity and specificity as well. Even though excellent techniques are available for the diagnosis of symptomatic patients with COVID-19 in well-equipped laboratories; critical gaps still remain in screening asymptomatic people who are in the incubation phase of the virus, as well as in the accurate determination of live viral shedding during convalescence to inform decisions for ending isolation. This review article aims to discuss the currently available laboratory methods and surveillance technologies available for the detection of COVID-19, their performance characteristics and highlight the gaps in current diagnostic capacity, and finally, propose potential solutions. We also summarize the specifications of the majority of the available commercial kits (PCR, EIA, and POC) for laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19.

To support the deployment of serology assays for population screening during the COVID-19 pandemic, we compared the performance of three fully automated SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays: Mindray CL-900i^® (target: spike [S] and nucleocapsid [N]), BioMérieux VIDAS^®3 (target: receptor-binding domain [RBD]) and Diasorin LIAISON^®XL (target: S1 and S2 subunits). A total of 111 SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR- positive samples collected at ≥ 21 days post symptom onset, and 127 pre-pandemic control samples were included. Diagnostic performance was assessed in correlation to RT-PCR and a surrogate virus-neutralizing test (sVNT). Moreover, cross-reactivity with other viral antibodies was investigated. Compared to RT-PCR, LIAISON^®XL showed the highest overall specificity (100%), followed by VIDAS^®3 (98.4%) and CL-900i^® (95.3%). The highest sensitivity was demonstrated by CL-900i^® (90.1%), followed by VIDAS^®3 (88.3%) and LIAISON^®XL (85.6%). The sensitivity of all assays was higher in symptomatic patients (91.1–98.2%) compared to asymptomatic patients (78.4–80.4%). In correlation to sVNT, all assays showed excellent sensitivities (92.2–96.1%). In addition, VIDAS^®3 demonstrated the best correlation (r = 0.75) with the sVNT. The present study provides insights on the performance of three fully automated assays, which could help diagnostic laboratories in the choice of a particular assay according to the intended use.

Translational medicine, the exchange between laboratory (bench) and the clinic (bedside), is decidedly taking on a vital role. Many companies are now focusing on a translational medicinal approach as a therapeutic strategy in decision making upon realizing the expenses of drug attrition in late-stage advancement. In addition, the utility of biomarkers in clinical decision and therapy guidance seeks to improve the patient outcomes and decrease wasteful and harmful treatment. Efficient biomarkers are crucial for the advancement of diagnoses, better molecular targeted therapy, along with therapeutic advantages in a broad spectrum of various diseases. Despite recent advances in the discovery of biomarkers, the advancement route to a clinically validated biomarker remains intensely challenging, and many of the candidate biomarkers do not progress to clinical applications, thereby widening the innovation gap between research and application. The present article will focus on the clinical view of biomarkers in a reverse design, addressing how a biomarker program should appear if it is expected to create an impact on personalized medicine and patient care.

Precision Medicine (PM) is a transformative clinical medicine strategy that aims to revolutionize healthcare by leveraging biological information and biomarkers. In the context of maternal and neonatal health, PM enables personalized care from preconception through the postnatal period. Qatar has emerged as a key player in PM research, with dedicated programs driving advancements and translating cutting-edge research into clinical applications. This article delves into neonatal and maternal health in Qatar, emphasizing PM programs and initiatives that have been implemented. It also features noteworthy clinical cases that demonstrate the effectiveness of precision interventions. Furthermore, the article highlights the role of pharmacogenomics in addressing various maternal health conditions. The review further explores potential advancements in the application of PM in maternal and neonatal healthcare in Qatar.

Background: Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a hereditary metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKD) enzymatic complex. The Middle East and North Africa, and Türkiye (MENAT) region has witnessed a significant rise in the prevalence of MSUD due to high rates of consanguinity. Despite numerous genetic association studies, the complex relationships between genotype and phenotype in MSUD remain elusive. Aim: This study aimed to systematically review the variants significantly associated with MSUD in the MENAT region. Methods: We systematically searched four literature databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct) from inception until December 2023 to gather all reported genetic data pertaining to MSUD in the MENAT region. Quality assessment and data extraction were diligently performed by a team of six investigators. Results: A total of 16 studies, involving patients, were included in this systematic review. Among them, 211 patients presented with 105 variants located within genes known to be associated with MSUD. The majority of the identified MSUD variants were found in BCKDHA (38%), followed by BCKDHB (38%), DBT (23%), and PPM1K (1%). Notably, 77% of the captured variants were unique to the MENAT region. Conclusion: Our systematic review reveals a distinctive genetic and clinical susceptibility profile of MSUD among individuals from the MENAT region. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the specific genetic landscape of MSUD in this population. Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex genotype-phenotype relationships in MSUD in the MENAT region.

Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets provide orthogonal, multi-modal strategies to control infection at a time of rising antimicrobial resistance. This review highlights material families most relevant to graphene derivatives, transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), MXenes, graphitic carbon nitride, hexagonal boron nitride, and phosphorene. The review highlights antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal applications. We highlight convergent extracellular mechanisms across families, including membrane stress from atomically thin edges, reactive-oxygen-species generation, photothermal and photodynamic conversion, electron-transfer imbalance, and (in hybrids) controlled metal-ion release. From a translational standpoint, these mechanisms are increasingly being harnessed in deployable healthcare formats such as hydrogels, wound dressings, anti-biofilm and implant coatings, microneedles, and photo-addressable composites. These architectures enable localized, on-demand activation, high local payloads, and minimal systemic exposure, addressing key challenges in multidrug resistance and biofilm persistence. Collectively, these attributes position 2D nanosheets as modular building blocks for next-generation anti-infective technologies.