Page 10 - Covid 26 July 2021

These reagents and models were used to identify SARS-CoV-2 antivirals, and evaluate the COVID-19 thermostable sub-unit vaccine candidate being developed by a team led by Raghavan Varadarajan, Professor at the Molecular Biophysics Unit, IISc, in collaboration with IISc-incubated start-up Mynvax. In addition, Tripathi’s lab has been helping industry partners GeNext Genomics in evaluating COVID-19 antibodies, Biomoneta in testing sterilisation technologies, and Glycovax in evaluating a COVID-19 peptide conjugate vaccine in animal models.
To expand these operations, Tripathi and KN Balaji (Convenor, CIDR and Professor at MCB), applied for and received funding under the DBT-BIRAC’s Mission COVID Suraksha, which aimed to support labs with well-established models to study SARS-CoV-2.
The DBT-BIRAC support will allow the augmentation of the existing facility with high-end equipment and initial support for personnel operating the facility. Research will also be conducted to develop high-throughput assays for evaluating antivirals and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.
In addition to SARS-CoV-2, this facility will also support the development of antivirals and vaccines against other viral pathogens responsible for diseases like influenza, dengue, chikungunya and HIV, through similar fee-for-service collaborations with academic and industry partners.
Contact info:
shashankt@iisc.ac.in
Website link:
https://www.iisc.ac.in/events/viral-bsl-3-facility-and-dbt-birac-covid-19-vaccine- testing-centre-at-iisc/
***
VOL. IV ISSUE 7
VIGYAN PRASAR 6
COVID-19 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EFFORTS IN INDIA