While the world is facing a major crisis due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the IIT Guwahati researchers are working to develop a vaccine to provide an active acquired immunity to the infectious disease.
A media report said the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati is also making efforts to develop rapid detection and portable diagnostic kits for various viruses and microorganisms.
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The group of IIT Guwahati researchers has been led by Prof Sachin Kumar of the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering.
The report quoted the institute as informing that to find a solution for the diseases, its researchers are exploring possibilities to “clone the immunogenic proteins of SARS-CoV-2 to be used as diagnostics and possible vaccine candidates”.
COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
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Meanwhile, to prevent the spread of the virus, the institute has also developed the prototype of a Faceshield or mask as per the guideline of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The team has been led by Dr. Supradip Das of the Department of Design.
Informing about this, the IIT Guwahati on its Twitter handle said: “@IITGuwahati has developed the prototype of a Faceshield as per the guideline of the @WHO to be used along with other Personal protective equipment. Faculty has plans to #3Dprint up to 100 pieces. congratulations to Dr. Supradip Das, AP, DoD.”
@IITGuwahati has developed the prototype of a Faceshield as per the guideline of the @WHO to be used along with other Personal protective equipment. Faculty has plans to #3Dprint up to 100 pieces. congratulations to Dr. Supradip Das, AP, DoD. #fightagainstcorona pic.twitter.com/fRwooHooo6
— IIT Guwahati (@IITGuwahati) March 25, 2020
According to the media report, IIT Guwahati has also developed hand-sanitisers as prescribed by the WHO and these are being distributed to everyone on the campus of the institute, including visitors.
The researchers’ group of the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering in IIT Guwahati earlier developed recombinant vaccines against Japanese encephalitis and classical swine fever virus.
The research was published in the journal ‘Vaccine and Archives of Virology’.