Rutgers Researcher Andrew Brooks Dead at 51

A research professor at Rutgers University who developed the first saliva test for the coronavirus has unexpectedly died on Jan. 23, the college said. As the chief operating officer and director of technology development at RUCDR Infinite Biologics, Brooks led the effort to develop the COVID-19 saliva test.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy honored Brooks during a press briefing, calling him “one of our state’s unsung heroes.”

Murphy said the Rutgers COVID-19 test has “undoubtedly saved lives” as he praised the legacy Brooks has left behind.

Andrew co-authored more than 70 publications and “played a key role” in providing consultation, biobanking, and analytical services to many large research projects “that have yielded insights into the genomic etiology of human diseases and the effects of environmental exposures,” Rutgers said.

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