CSIR develops rapid, low-cost testing kit
| Date :03-Apr-2020 |
Dr Shekhar Mande
By Kartik Lokhande :
The paper strip based kit can yield test result in 20 minutes and may be priced under Rs 500/-, says CSIR DG Dr Shekhar Mande who hails from Nagpur
IN A major scientific breakthrough, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scientists have developed a low-cost and rapid testing kit for detecting novel coronavirus. The kit can yield test result in 20 minutes and save a lot of time, thereby addressing the country’s need for rapid testing of samples in the given scenario. Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General of CSIR, confirmed this development. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’ over telephone, the acclaimed scientist who hails from Nagpur, said that the testing kit was developed by CSIR lab Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi. The testing kit is just like pregnancy testing kit.
It is paper strip based and uses the cutting-edge CRISPR Cas9 gene editing tool. CRISPR is Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, and Cas is CRISPR-associated genes. Using this kit, one can get test results within 20 minutes. Once out, the kit will be cheaper. It may cost under Rs 500/-. The coronavirus testing kits available at present cost between Rs 3,500/- and Rs 4,500/-. “The work on developing this kit was in progress for quite some time. CSIR scientists were developing it for sickle cell anemia etc. But, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, we focussed on coronavirus,” Dr Mande said. At present, he added, the work on accuracy and sensitivity levels of the kit is in progress. The CSIR Director General said that CSIR was also working on virus sequencing. “The sequencing will help in tracing the source of infection, mutations etc.
Today only, the first sequence has been done. We are making efforts to prepare 400-500 virus sequences, or even more,” he said. Elaborating on the significance of virus sequencing, he said, if a sequence matches with that of virus that has infected a person, its source can be traced. It can help in studying the pattern of spread, and also track mutations. Further research can help scientists in exploring if a virus with a particular sequence could develop drug resistance in future. Obviously, it will boost the efforts of drug development. Importantly, CSIR is also working on vaccine and drug development. “Vaccine development is a complicated matter.
It can be developed from the antibodies in the person cured for a particular infection, or using another method. We have invited challenge-driven research and development proposals from the industry and start-ups, to deliver breakthrough technological interventions to create ‘Corona Mukt Bharat’,” he said. CSIR has invited these proposals under New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI). It is a unique public-private partnership programme for achieving breakthrough innovation. Dr Mande said that the proposals had been invited till April 5, 2020.
Once CSIR receives the proposals, there will be screening and scrutiny. The approved proposals will get CSIR funding. CSIR-NMITLI is geared up to enable and accelerate the process of developing cutting-edge technological solutions that will help in ‘controlling, diagnosing, and treating’ the Coronavirus, stated the proposal inviting document on CSIR website. The proposals have been invited in areas such as effective containment interventions, assistive devices (like affordable ventilators), innovative diagnostics (rapid, affordable, cutting-edge), novel drugs or repurposed drugs, new vaccines or repurposed vaccines, track-and-trace technologies. CSIR will provide project clearance within 10 days and provide expert guidance of internationally recognised peers in developing and implementing the project.