Testing kit is the first ever probe-free investigative procedure for COVID-19 approved by ICMR
Researchers of IIT Delhi Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS), have developed a detection assay for COVID-19 which has now been approved by ICMR. This makes IITD the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay. And it will be useful for specific and affordable high throughput testing. This assay can be easily scaled up as it does not require fluorescent probes. The team is targeting large scale deployment of the kit at affordable prices with suitable industrial partners as soon as possible.
HRD Minister Pokkriyal appreciated the efforts of IIT Delhi in developing a testing kit at a very low cost for the people of India. He said the kit will not only empower healthcare services but also support the government in the time of crisis. He congratulated the team comprising of Prashant Pradhan (PhD Scholar), Ashutosh Pandey (PhD Scholar), Praveen Tripathi (PhD Scholar), Dr. Akhilesh Mishra, Dr. Parul Gupta, Dr. Sonam Dhamija, Prof. Vivekanandan Perumal, Prof. Manoj B. Menon, Prof. Bishwajit Kundu, Prof. James Gomes of IIT Delhi.
