Coronavirus: IIT Delhi projects get financial support from Microsoft India

IIT Delhi has said that two of its projects which have been developed to diagnose and detect the coronavirus have received financial support from Microsoft India. 

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has announced that two of its projects developed to fight coronavirus, has received financial support from Microsoft India.

The two IIT Delhi projects are the PCR-based COVID-19 detection assay and ELISA based diagnostic serological assay against COVID-19.

Dr Sapna Poti, part of COVID-19 special task force at the principal scientific advisor's office, IIT Delhi, said: “Research is one of the most important aspects of COVID-19. The principal scientific advisor's office is proud of IIT Delhi that it has successfully developed a low-cost high-quality testing solution using one-step RT-PCR assay and working on ELISA methodology. Microsoft India, known for its philanthropic founder and leadership, has supported the initiative both through financial support and global technical resources and infrastructure.”

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has earlier approved probe-free coronavirus detection assay which was developed at the Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS), IIT Delhi. This assay is useful for specific and affordable high throughput testing. It can be easily scaled up as well, as it does not require fluorescent probes.

The other project, a tie-up between IIT Delhi and National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, aims to develop an ELISA based diagnostic serological assay against coronavirus. If tested successfully, the assay 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 coronavirus outbreak.

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

IIT Delhi in a bid to fight coronavirus had worked on a number of products starting from reusable antimicrobial masks to dashboards to detect coronavirus spread.