IIT-Bombay to develop gel for nasal passage

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, April 8

The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), is supporting IIT-Bombay for developing a gel that can be applied to the nasal passage, a major entry point of Covid.

“The gel is not only expected to protect health workers but can also lead to reduction in community transmission of the virus, helping disease management,” the DST said.

Given the contagious nature of Covid, health providers, including doctors and nurses, are at maximum risk while taking care of patients, particularly asymptomatic ones, who cannot be detected and pose a greater risk in spreading the disease.

The department of bio-sciences and bioengineering (DBB), IIT-Bombay, is planning a two-pronged approach to limit the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of Covid.

Primarily, since viruses replicate within the host cells of lungs, the first component of the strategy will be to inhibit binding of viruses to these cells.

While this is expected to reduce the host cell infection, viruses will still remain active, therefore raising the need to inactivate them.

“The major challenges for Covid testing are speed, cost, accuracy and accessibility at the point-of-care or use. Several start-ups have developed rather creative and innovative ways to address these needs. The DST is supporting the most promising of these,” said Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST.