Brazilian Biotech Lab CTVacinas Uses Lenovo Workstations to Make Brazil's First Domestic COVID-19 Vaccine

Brazil's Breakthrough: Lenovo Empowers CTVacinas in Pioneering the Nation's COVID-19 Vaccine Production

1309 FLAX MOSS COURT,, SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA 95120, USA, October 9, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- CTVacinas, a prominent biotechnology research laboratory in Brazil, has achieved a major breakthrough in making a 100% Brazilian-made COVID-19 vaccine using the ThinkStation P620, a cutting-edge workstation by Lenovo.

With the world's first AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO processor, this high-performance laptop empowered CTVacinas to speed up vaccine development by enabling rapid vaccine characterization and quality control, reducing analysis time to one hour, according to Lenovo.

CTVacinas is a collaborative effort between the René Rachou Institute of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz-Minas) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). The institution, comprising a diverse team of over 80 researchers from several scientific backgrounds, develops vaccines for human and veterinary diseases.

Since April 2020, an unwavering team of more than 40 researchers at CTVacinas has worked tirelessly on SpiN-TEC UFMG MCTI, the first entirely Brazilian-produced vaccine against COVID-19. This ambitious endeavor spanned from raw material production to distribution. The successful outcome of this vaccine hinged on state-of-the-art analytical tools, such as a mass spectrometer, to identify molecules and assess their chemical structure characteristics, thereby determining molecular composition.

To cope with the immense data generated by the mass spectrometer, CTVacinas required high-performance desktop PCs. Diana Paola Gómez Mendoza, a postdoctoral fellow in Molecular Biology and the lead researcher of the mass spectrometry laboratory, stressed the urgency of a robust computing solution. Standard computers struggled to handle the massive files, some reaching up to 1GB, especially while maintaining the required speed and efficiency.

In June 2022, CTVacinas initiated a procurement process to acquire computers to meet their demanding needs. Finally, they chose the Lenovo ThinkStation P620, renowned for its excellent processing power and storage capabilities. The ThinkStation P620 was customized for CTVacinas in Mexico, boasting seven SSD disks, 256GB of RAM, and two ThinkVision S24e monitors with ergonomic adjustments.

Mendoza remarked, "With this workstation, it is obvious that we can conduct analyses with remarkable speed and efficiency, delivering results in just one hour." This significant improvement in efficiency propelled SpiN-TEC UFMG MCTI's progress, leading to the vaccine's first application in volunteers in November 2022, and it is currently advancing toward the second phase of tests this fall.

Leandro Lofrano, director of products at Lenovo for the corporate market, said, "It is a privilege for Lenovo, in collaboration with CTVacinas, to contribute to the advancement of Brazilian science through innovative technologies like those offered by the ThinkStation line." He added that Lenovo strives to support companies and institutions across Brazil in their digital transformation journeys.

To ensure peace of mind for the research team, the ThinkStation P620 comes with a five-year warranty and Premier Support, Lenovo's priority technical assistance service, ensuring next business day assistance and priority access to parts. Mendoza acknowledged the indispensable role Lenovo's support and solutions have played in their work and anticipated further acquisitions for the laboratory, strengthening their scientific endeavors.

Lenovo's ThinkStation P620 has become a priceless asset in the battle against COVID-19, allowing CTVacinas to fast-track vaccine development and deliver much-needed relief to Brazil and the global community.

Ruchi Pardal
Resultfirst
+1 888-512-1890
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube