Research to tackle the COVID-19 situation continues at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, with focus on the early detection of the disease. Aiding this endeavour, Microsoft India has come forth to support two such projects of the institute.

One of them pertains to ICMR approved probe-free real-time PCR-based COVID-19 detection assay developed at the Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS), IIT Delhi. This probe-free technology will be more affordable and easily scalable.

The other project is a collaboration between IIT Delhi and National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, and aims to develop an ELISA based diagnostic serological assay against COVID-19.

If successful, it will create an economical, commercial process for manufacturing the antigens used in ELISA and home-based diagnostic kits to offer an effective, quick, robust and affordable diagnostic solution to COVID-19 outbreak.

“The funds from Microsoft India will be utilized for establishing a fast-PCR protocol for our ICMR-approved assay” said Prof. Vivekanandan Perumal (KSBS, IIT Delhi), Principal Investigator of the RT-PCR-based COVID-19 detection assay project.

Further, Prof. Manoj B Menon (KSBS, IIT Delhi), the co-investigator of the project added, “We will also be optimising other COVID-19 RT-PCR assays currently being developed in our laboratory."