CSIR-NEIST COVID19 Testing Lab Established
At the North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), in the Jorhat campus, a COVID-19 testing laboratory has been established now. The laboratory was inaugurated by Dr. Himanta Biswa, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Finance, Education (Higher, Secondary and Elementary), Transformation and Development, PWD, Govt. of Assam. This event was described as an important milestone in the annals of CSIR-NEIST history by Dr. G. Narahari Sastry, CSIR-NEIST’s Director.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated the scientists and staff of the Institute for making this happen as NEIST is the first research and development institute in Assam to open up a testing facility.
Dr. Sastry mentioned that 40 staff members are acting as a support system and a team of 10 scientists of the institute is actively involved in the isolation of RNA from the virus. In carrying out RT-PCR-based COVID-19 testing, the institute’s Biotechnology Division is playing a pivotal role. Moreover, the efforts put in by the institute are being facilitated with active cooperation from the district administration of Jorhat and the Govt. of Assam.
To certify the testing, the institute’s COVID-19 testing laboratory has been engaged by a microbiologist from the Department
of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Assam. In coordination with the state government and the district administration of Jorhat, the samples for the testing are expected to be obtained. For the testing purpose, a project scientist and a research scholar have also been contractually engaged by the institute.Dr. Sarma was learned about the herbal anti-fungal ointment, anti-arthritis ointment, new varieties of aromatic plants, which are some of the noteworthy achievements that have been commercially translated, and he learned about the technologies that were patented and commercialized by NEIST.
Dr. Sastry said, “Before the virus gets dispersed to community transmission level, as Assam is at the threshold point of crossing over to stage 3, the most effective and globally successful approach to test, trace, isolate the virus is the establishment of the COVID-19 testing laboratory here as it is the demand of the hour.”
He further added that continuing with extensive testing is the only way to mitigate and contain the situation. To keep a tab on the virus and to develop effective drugs and vaccines for a sure shot cure, the paramount task of the scientific community is to carry out as many tests as possible.
Source
CSIR-NEIST COVID19 testing lab
