Celera gets bird flu grant

Celera Genomics has received a $900,000 grant from NIH to support a three-year project to develop and commercialize an avian flu diagnostic test. The test will be based on protocols-developed by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-of an assay for H5N1 virus detection; the virus is available only to laboratories designated by the government's Laboratory Response Network. Celera says its test, which will be validated in collaboration with CDC, will be useful for widespread testing in the case of a flu pandemic. The company will sell the test through its alliance with Abbott.