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Indian-origin doctor develops app for COVID-19 immunity antibody
Assessing neutralizing antibodies can be costly and labor-intensive
Shaili Gupta / Image - Yale University
In light of the recent upturn in cases of SARS-CoV-2, doctors at Yale University have created a tool to help people decide if they need a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. Shaili Gupta, an associate professor of medicine specializing in general medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, has devised an algorithm for aiding in this decision-making process, building on research initiated in 2020.
“We started collecting specimens before people got vaccinated and then serially after they got vaccinated. This gave us the unique opportunity to have baseline evaluations and then understand cumulative Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response after vaccine doses and/or infections,” Gupta said.
“We initially looked at neutralizing antibodies, which is the gold standard way to determine if your body can neutralize the virus. We could then see how the antibody waxes and wanes, how it rises again when you get the booster dose, how long it lasts, and what different clinical variables impact it,” she added.
Among the over 80 clinical variables examined, the research team identified a few factors that influence the strength and duration of neutralizing antibodies post-vaccination. Assessing neutralizing antibodies can be costly, labor-intensive, and not readily available for patient care. In an attempt to enhance the accessibility and applicability of such research in patient care, Gupta conducted tests on the same samples using a cost-effective commercially available platform.
Gupta serves as the associate program director for the Yale Internal Medicine residency program and holds the position of vice-chair and director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at VA Connecticut. Additionally, she is the faculty leader for the Race, Bias, and Advocacy in Medicine, a Distinction Pathway track in the Internal Medicine Residency Program.
Gupta has dedicated over a decade to serving as a research supervisor, thesis advisor, and mentor to students, residents, fellows, and faculty. She completed her MBBS at Sawai Man Singh Medical College located in Rajasthan, India, her residency at the University of Maryland, Union Memorial Hospital, followed by a fellowship at Yale University.
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