West Java, Indonesia — In an innovative step toward strengthening disease detection, researchers from Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) have successfully extracted and purified antibodies from chicken eggs to help detect avian influenza H5N1, a virus that poses a serious threat to poultry health and food security across Asia.

Led by Dr. Armanda Dwi Prayugo of the Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, the study was a collaboration involving experts from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and the Research Center for Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at Unpad. Their findings were recently published in the high impact reputed international journal (Poultry Science Journal).

Addressing a Persistent Threat

Avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain, continues to cause high mortality in poultry and carries the potential for transmission to humans. Early detection is crucial—but diagnostic tools are often expensive or dependent on imported components. The Unpad research team sought a sustainable solution using IgY antibodies—natural immune proteins found in chicken egg yolk. By vaccinating hens against H5N1 and then isolating the antibodies from their eggs, the team was able to purify functional IgY using a salt-based technique called hydrophobic interaction chromatography.

“This method is not only effective, but also scalable and ethical—since it avoids the need for blood collection,” said Dr. Prayugo. “It opens up a path for locally produced, affordable diagnostic kits that can be used across Indonesia and other resource-limited settings.”

From Lab to Public Health Impact

The study confirmed that the purified IgY maintained strong biological activity against the virus. These antibodies could soon be used as core ingredients in rapid detection tools, such as lateral flow tests or biosensors, allowing quicker responses to outbreaks. By promoting self-sufficiency in diagnostic production, this research also supports pandemic preparedness—especially in agricultural regions where zoonotic diseases are a growing concern.

This breakthrough contributes directly to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, by using renewable biological sources in healthcare innovation. This advancement enforces Global Goals from West Java. It also reflects Unpad’s commitment to impactful science that serves both local communities and global health, reinforcing the university’s role in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.