IIT Bombay develops testing method to detect asymptomatic coronavirus patients

A research team from multi-institute has developed a new cost-effective testing method to identify the asymptomatic carriers of coronavirus.

A team of researchers from multi-institute led by Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) has come up with new testing methods that can help in identifying the asymptomatic carriers of the Sars-Cov-2 virus that causes Coronavirus.

The 28-member team comprises researchers from IIT-B, National Centre for Biological Sciences, InStem, Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, SASTRA University and the Mumbai-based start-up, Shop101.

The new testing method, Tapestry, has been defined as “a single-round smart pooling technique for Covid-19 testing”.

With this testing method, one swab sample is sent to three pools. If a sample tests positive, samples in the remaining two pools will also test positive. Tapestry has been validated through laboratory experiments with synthetic RNA and DNA fragments. Results have been confirmed using computer simulation.

“The algorithm describes a novel way to pool samples and test in a single step. This helps in conserving resources along with increasing the testing capacity by increasing throughput,” said Dr Lancelot Pinto, who was involved in the study and a pulmonologist at PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim.

The researchers believe this new innovation can help in identifying asymptomatic carriers of the virus.

“With an increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country, the only way to combat it is now either to continue the lockdown or test everyone. Neither one the options are desirable. The only option is to test as many people as possible and that is only possible if we have a cost-effective method. One way to do is by pooling the samples," said Manoj Gopalkrishnan, principal investigator and associate professor, department of electrical engineering, IIT-B.

Tapestry’s method is unlike the technique of pooling samples approved by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), which requires at least multiple rounds of testing if a sample from pool tests positive. Each round of testing takes four hours.