Our history
The Molecular Diagnostics Lab launched at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute on April 20, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration gave Virginia Tech permission to deploy its novel assay to analyze COVID samples in April, in response to an Emergency Use Authorization application.
Health districts in Southwest Virginia sent coded and deidentified samples to the Virginia Tech lab for analysis. The samples were processed by researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) protocol to detect the virus’s genetic material. The lab developed a process that often provided results in 24 to 48 hours.
By July 2025, the lab had reported more than 230,000 test results since its launch. That year the lab shifted its focus, applying scientific processes and advances learned during the pandemic to advance precision oncology by providing Southwest Virginians with improved cancer diagnostics.
"Virginia Tech did a phenomenal thing by converting a research lab to a clinical lab so they could partner with public health agencies and help expand public health testing capacity for COVID-19 in Southwest Virginia."
- Paige Bordwine, Southwest Virginia Regional Epidemiologist, Virginia Department of Health
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Virginia Tech student named Goldwater Scholar , articleRising senior Lacey Ngo has been awarded a 2025 Goldwater Scholarship, a federal merit award for undergraduate science, mathematics, and engineering students.
Date: Jun 02, 2025 - -
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AI-backed saliva test shows promise for flagging chemotherapy risk, early results indicate , articleFralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC scientists developed a saliva-based artificial intelligence screening method that could flag patients at risk for dangerous side effects from a widely used chemotherapy drug.
Date: Apr 22, 2025 - -
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Translational biology, medicine, and health student pursues science close to home with new grant , articleMason Wheeler, a doctoral candidate in the Pfleger Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, earned a prestigious Ruth Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Date: Oct 31, 2024 -
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Article ItemThe virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife, Virginia Tech scientists find , article
Six of 23 common wildlife species showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an examination of animals in Virginia, as revealed by tracking the virus’s genetic code.
Date: Jul 29, 2024 - -
Article ItemInterdisciplinary team receives $5 million grant to explore COVID-19 virus ecology at the human-animal interface , article
Virginia Tech researchers will explore the risk of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, infections in wildlife communities and how those risks could affect humans.
Date: Oct 20, 2023 - -
Article ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute researchers take on public health challenge of hepatitis C , article
The institute’s Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory will lead efforts to provide genomic sequencing to help decrease spread of the virus that can cause liver damage.
Date: Oct 09, 2023 - -
Article ItemCarla Finkielstein named Roger H. Moore and Mojdeh Khatam-Moore Dean’s Faculty Fellow , article
A member of the Virginia Tech faculty since 2005, Finkielstein currently serves as the associate director of research of the Academy of Integrated Science in the College of Science and as interim co-director of the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance.
Date: Sep 29, 2023 - -
Article ItemVirginia Cooperative Extension agents to be trusted messengers for COVID-19 vaccine information , article
A group of Virginia Tech researchers, along with partners at Virginia State University, are working to deliver facts about the COVID-19 vaccine to the hesitant in rural Virginia via messengers they know and trust: Virginia Cooperative Extension agents.
Date: Sep 22, 2021 - -
Article ItemSummer interns gain hands-on learning in Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 testing lab , article
During two five-week, hands-on sessions, the interns worked in the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and took classes led by Carla Finkielstein, the lab’s scientific director and an associate professor at the research institute.
Date: Jul 23, 2021 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech’s COVID-19 testing operation demonstrates the power and versatility of academic labs , article
In the early days of the pandemic, scientists at Virginia Tech created a COVID-19 testing laboratory and novel test for the virus from scratch. This novel protocol for transforming a research laboratory into a COVID-19 testing operation was described in a new article published July 20 in Nature Communications.
Date: Jul 20, 2021 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech COVID-19 lab passes 100,000-sample milestone , article
Since opening, the Molecular Diagnostics Lab has analyzed thousands of samples from Virginia Tech students and employees who were tested for the COVID-19 virus through the university’s testing centers. That’s in addition to testing done for regional health districts since April 20, 2020.
Date: Apr 05, 2021 - -
Article ItemCarla Finkielstein honored with Ut Prosim Scholar Award , article
Finkielstein, an associate professor of biological sciences in the College of Science and an award-winning cancer researcher, anticipated the limitations of existing methods for testing the novel coronavirus and enlisted a team to develop an innovative method that would more accurately, reliably, and rapidly detect the virus and help mitigate its spread.
Date: Mar 22, 2021 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech COVID-19 lab ready to ramp up testing for thousands of student samples , article
Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, located at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has processed more than 70,000 samples to support health districts across Virginia and the university community since its launch in April.
Date: Jan 13, 2021 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech lab joins network to expand COVID-19 testing across state , article
Virginia Tech was selected as one of three exclusive OneLab Network Tier 2 laboratories to expand COVID-19 testing capacity across Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam announced on Nov. 10.
Date: Nov 10, 2020 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech scientists, engineers to talk about steps to stop cancer in virtual public session , article
A year ago, Virginia Tech united its biomedical and technical expertise into a Cancer Research Alliance to take on the second leading cause of death in the United States. Now, scientists and engineers will talk about some leading-edge projects in breast cancer, brain cancer, and noninvasive cancer treatments in a public Zoom discussion at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Date: Nov 02, 2020 - -
Article ItemScientists, engineers to discuss COVID-19 response in virtual HokieTalk on Wednesday , article
When the novel coronavirus hit the United States in January, Virginia Tech faculty recognized the nation was on the brink of a COVID-19 pandemic that would affect the university and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. Hear the inside story about what happened during a virtual HokieTalk at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Date: Sep 27, 2020 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech COVID-19 lab ready to test thousands of student samples , article
Starting this week, as students begin to return to campus for the fall semester, the lab’s capacity of 1,000 tests per day will also be dedicated to Virginia Tech students and employees in high-contact roles.
Date: Aug 09, 2020 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech cancer researcher Carla Finkielstein to join Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC , article
Finkielstein, a molecular biologist and an associate professor in the College of Science, will join the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on July 1. Her laboratory, which studies how circadian rhythms are involved in breast cancer progression, will move to the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke.
Date: Jun 23, 2020 - -
Article ItemVirginia Tech researchers develop new COVID-19 tests to combat backlogs, shortages , article
Virginia Tech scientists have developed a new COVID-19 test and secured federal and state approvals to immediately begin processing samples at on-campus labs in Blacksburg and Roanoke.
Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemWDBJ7: New COVID-19 variant detected in Southwest Virginia , redirect Date: Oct 04, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemCBS: New COVID variant XEC now in half of states. Here's what to know. , redirect Date: Sep 18, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemWFXR: Virginia Tech researcher discusses COVID in wildlife , redirect Date: Aug 05, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemWVTF: COVID-19 virus detected in six wild animal species , redirect Date: Aug 05, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemWVEC: COVID on the rise in both people and the wildlife in Virginia , redirect Date: Jul 30, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Sun Herald: Study finds COVID-19 virus widespread in U.S. wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemForbes: COVID-19 Is Widespread In ‘Common Backyard Wildlife’ In US , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Banner-Press: COVID-19 Virus Is Widespread in U.S. Wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemGenomeWeb: Study Finds SARS-CoV-2 Spillover From Humans to Wildlife in US , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Messenger: COVID-19 Virus Is Widespread in U.S. Wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Microbiologist: Virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemMSN: Study finds COVID-19 virus widespread in U.S. wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Guam Daily Post: COVID-19 Virus Is Widespread in U.S. Wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemAppalachian News-Express: COVID-19 Virus Is Widespread in U.S. Wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemFloyd County Chronicle: COVID-19 Virus Is Widespread in U.S. Wildlife , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemEarth.com: COVID virus is prevalent in backyard wildlife species , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemNewsweek: COVID Virus Found in 'Common Backyard Animals' in US , redirect Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
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Redirect ItemThe Atlantic: Consider Armadillo COVID , redirect Date: Dec 19, 2022 -
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Redirect ItemWCAV TV: 'COVID Crushers' Help Hispanic People Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy , redirect Date: May 06, 2021 -
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Redirect ItemAugusta Free Press: The special delivery behind testing samples , redirect Date: May 01, 2021 -
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Redirect ItemWSLS: Virginia Tech lab tests more than 100,000 COVID-19 tests , redirect Date: Apr 06, 2021 -
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Redirect ItemRoanoke Innovates: A Busy Week on Roanoke's Innovation Corridor , redirect Date: Jan 19, 2021 -
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Redirect ItemHokie Talk addresses pandemic and university response , redirect Date: Sep 30, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemWSET TV: Virginia Tech researchers to test campus wastewater for COVID-19 , redirect Date: Sep 04, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemThe Farmville Herald: Tech Readies Testing Lab for Return of Students , redirect Date: Aug 14, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemRadio IQ: VT Creates COVID-19 Test , redirect Date: Apr 23, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemWDBJ: Virginia Tech researchers develop COVID-19 test , redirect Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemWSLS-TV: Virginia Tech discusses COVID testing , redirect Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemVirginia Business: Virginia Tech develops in-house COVID-19 testing , redirect Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
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Redirect ItemRichmond Times-Dispatch: Virginia Tech gets OK to test samples , redirect Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
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