14-Jun-2021: Cryo-EM facilities can help research in structural biology, enzymology & drug discovery to combat new & emerging diseases
Researchers in the country would soon have access to four Cryogenic-Electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) facilities paving the way towards establishment of leadership in structural biology, enzymology, and drug discovery to combat new and emerging diseases.
Cryo-EM has revolutionized structural investigations of macromolecules in recent times. It is a testimonial for a revolutionary technology for structural biologists, chemical biologists, and ligand discovery, which has gained a clear edge over contemporary x-ray crystallography. In light of these advancements, cryo-electron microscopy technique was recognized with the Nobel Prize for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution (2017). The revolution in resolution resulted in atomic-level understanding of the Zika virus surface proteins, thus aiding structure-based drug discovery, deciphering of structure of hard-to-crystallize membrane proteins and other macromolecular complexes.
The National Facilities supported by the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), an institution under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), would help explore Macromolecular Structures and Complexes” and create research knowledge base and skills for cryo-EM research in India to establish leadership in structural biology, enzymology, ligand/drug discovery.
The establishment of these facilities in all directions of the country--Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai; Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay; Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; and Bose Institute, Kolkata would help in scaling up cryo-EM based structural biology research in different corners across the country. These centers are designated as SERB National Facility for Cryo-Electron Microscopy and will work on the identified thrust areas. They will be accessible to all researchers.
Housed with 200kV machines have added advantages like lesser maintenance and can help generate human resources through training, which can also help sustain the facility for longer duration. Each Cryo-EM facility costs about Rs. 28.5 crore for a period of five years and an amount of Rs. 114 crores for research in the critically important research areas.
While IIT Chennai will focus on nano-bio interfaces (e.g. materials–microbes, materials–human tissue), IIT Bombay will execute research on ribosome translation and its implication in disease and antibiotic resistance, neurodegenerative disorders and tackle problems to address solutions to cancer, membrane structure, composition, dynamics & transport. IIT Kanpur will conduct research focused on macromolecular structures and drug discovery with a specific focus on membrane proteins, and Bose Institute, Kolkata will focus on transforming the structure-guided drug discovery and therapeutics research for communicable and non-communicable diseases, allosteric drugs, transcription, and epigenetics.
The first national cryo-EM facility was established at National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in 2017 and then subsequently in IISc, Bengaluru, and RCB Faridabad. However, it was felt that the existing cryo-EM research facilities in the country are not adequate to leave a mark at the global stage. Historically, Indian scientists have contributed significantly in the area of Prof. GN Ramachandran and Dr. G. Kartha made a remarkable contribution to structural biology, biological, chemical, physical, computational, and theoretical crystallography and materials crystallography. Given significant advances in cryo-EM of large structures, SERB has taken the responsibility that concerted funding should be provided to establish leadership in this area to enable and empower Indian researchers to lead from the front.
31-May-2021: IIT Ropar develops "AmbiTAG"- India's first indigenous temperature data logger for the cold chain management
Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar (IIT Ropar) in Punjab has developed a first-of-its-kind IoT device – AmbiTAG that records real-time ambient temperature during the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and even body organs and blood. That recorded temperature further helps to know whether that particular item transported from anywhere in the world is still usable or perished because of temperature variation. This information is particularly critical for vaccines including Covid-19 vaccine, organs and blood transportation.
Shaped as USB device, AmbiTAG continuously records the temperature of its immediate surroundings “from -40 to +80 degrees in any time zone for a full 90 days on a single charge. Most of the similar devices available in the international market record data only for duration of 30- 60 days”, said AWaDH Project coordinator, Dr. Suman Kumar. He said it generates an alert when the temperature goes beyond a pre-set limit. The recorded data can be retrieved by connecting the USB with any computer. The device has been developed under Technology Innovation Hub – AWaDH (Agriculture and Water Technology Development Hub) and its Startup ScratchNest. AWaDH is a Govt of India project. Prof. Kumar said that the device is certified with ISO 13485:2016, EN 12830:2018, CE & ROHS.
Besides perishable items including vegetables, meat and dairy products it can also monitor the temperature of animal semen during transit. “So far, such devices are being imported by India in a massive quantity from other countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland, and China," said Amit Bhatti, one of the founders and directors of ScratchNest.
AWaDH Project Director, Professor Pushpendra P. Singh informed that IIT Ropar Technology Innovation Hub is gearing for mass-production of AmbiTAG. “The device will be made available to all companies involved in COVID vaccine transportation from production facilities to the last mile vaccination centers in the country at the production cost of Rs. 400. This device is our small contribution to the Nation for coming out of the never-seen-before-pandemic and a push towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat”, said Prof. Singh.
9-Apr-2021: Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches NanoSniffer, a Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector
Union Education Minister, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today launched NanoSniffer, the world’s first Microsensor based Explosive Trace Detector (ETD) developed by NanoSniff Technologies, an IIT Bombay incubated startup. Director, IIT Delhi, Shri V. Ramgopal Rao, and senior officials of the Ministry were present on the occasion.
NanoSniffer has been marketed by Vehant Technologies, a spin-off from a former IIT Delhi incubated startup Kritikal Solutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pokhriyal said that NanoSniffer, developed by NanoSniff Technologies, is a step towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India. NanoSniffer is a 100% Made in India product in terms of research, development & manufacturing. The core technology of NanoSniffer is protected by patents in the U.S. & Europe. The Minister further said that this affordable device will reduce our dependency on imported explosive trace detector devices. It will also encourage other institutions, startups and medium-scale industries to research & develop products indigenously. It’s a perfect example of lab to market product, he added.
The Minister appreciated that this home-grown Explosive trace detector device (ETD) - NanoSniffer can detect explosives in less than 10 seconds and it also identifies and categorizes explosives into different classes. It detects all classes of military, conventional and homemade explosives. NanoSniffer gives visible & audible alerts with sunlight-readable color display, he added.
Union Education Minister said that with the development of this product, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi along with their offshoot companies are making a sincere effort to boost the nation’s security with advanced and affordable indigenous products. It’s a perfect example of academia and industry collaboration, which will set an example for other startups in India. Our nation is full of talented, knowledgeable and hard-working entrepreneurs, hence why should we import foreign products. It is amazing that now our country is developing & manufacturing products like NanoSniffer, Explosive Trace Detectors, he added
Given the constant threats, which our nation faces due to geo-political realities, explosives & contraband detection has become a norm at high security locations like airports, railways & Metro stations, hotels, malls, and other public places. Check points at such locations are incorporating advanced detection equipment for rapid scanning of people and baggage. Almost all these products for explosive detection are imported at a high cost leading to the loss of valuable foreign exchange by the country. NanoSniffer is a perfect substitute for such products.
NanoSniff Technologies has partnered with Vehant Technologies, a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning- based Physical Security, Surveillance and Traffic Monitoring & Junction Enforcement Solutions.
NanoSniffer provides trace detection of nano-gram quantity of explosives & delivers result in seconds. It can accurately detect a wide range of military, commercial and homemade explosives threats. Further analysis of the algorithms also helps in categorization of explosives into the appropriate class. With local manufacturing, including its MEMS sensor, it will save a lot of import cost for the country.
NanoSniffer has successfully passed Pune based DRDO’s High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) testing and has also been tested by the country’s elite counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG).