JNU set to develop diagnostic testing device for COVID-19

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said the varsity has bagged a project on COVID-19 research from BIRAC, a public sector enterprise set up by the Department of Biotechnology.

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has given its nod to the JNU under diagnostics category to develop a low-cost portable microfluidics embedded on chip RT-PCR and microelectrode array coupled point-of care optoelectronic device for large-scale screening of emerging viral disease like SARS-CoV-2, the VC said.

To overcome the cost and other disadvantages



of the conventional methods, a team led by Dr Jaydeep Bhattacharya from the School of Biotechnology, JNU, has designed a chip-based low-cost portable spatial RT-PCR where the PCR has been integrated with the in-built detection system containing LED and diode detector he explained.

"Moreover, this portable device can also be battery operated and therefore, enabling us to perform a point-of-care measurement. The JNU has already filed an Indian Patent application on this technology. Our technology can complete the testing in about 50 minutes as compared to 120-180 minutes required for conventional real-time PCR," he added.