IIT Guwahati builds research center for coronavirus analysis

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati is taking a lead in the Northeast region to combat the pandemic, by setting up a research center for coronavirus analysis.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has been on the forefront to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by providing various scientific support. Since the initial days of its spread, the IIT Guwahati has helped Assam State and Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) by providing life-saving equipment.

IIT Guwahati has prepared hand sanitizers at its various departments and academic centers and is currently preparing more than 5,000 sanitizer bottles for both the GMCH and Assam government. A group of students at IIT Guwahati has recently developed a drone with an automated sprayer to sanitize larger areas of the state without manual interventions. 

The Institute has also given two real-time PCR machines to GMCH to help in them in the diagnosis of Coronavirus. These PCR machine will help in boosting the testing process by inspecting 1,000 samples if run for 12 hours continuously and 2,000 samples in 24 hours. 

The Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at the campus is making multiple efforts to develop a vaccine. Other departments of the institutes are working on developing multiple routes to have a diagnostic and therapeutic approach to detect various viral infections at the early stage. The faculty members of Bioscience & Bioengineering and Chemistry Departments and Center for Nanotechnology have also come up with a research proposal to fight coronavirus.

Along with this, the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electronics & Electrical Engineering are working on developing several state-of-the-art technologies like robot-based screening and drug/food carrying units to work in the isolation warns.  

The Departments of Chemistry and Bioscience & Bioengineering is working on to develop prototype protective gears with antiviral and superhydrophobic coatings while the Department of Chemical Engineering is working to develop Biodegradable plastic-based Medical Textile. The Department of Design has developed a prototype 3D printed full face shield including headgear which can be scaled up immediately.

Speaking on setting up a research center for COVID-19 analysis, Professor T. G. Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, our aim is to make our campus a state-of-the-art facility for the entire Northeast region. This center is being made keeping my mind both present and if any such situation arises in the future. This center in future will help in developing highly competent manpower for the diagnosis of different infectious diseases in the early stage of infection and thus its prevention too.

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