With more people from across streams and professions joining hands to fight against coronavirus in the country, the city-based Venture Centre is going to host the maiden online training workshop for scientists and laboratory technicians involved in research about the virus. Venture Centre is a technology and start-up incubation centre operating under CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory. The workshop has been organised in partnership with CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), and is scheduled to be held on April 16. It aims at offering training to these professionals who have recently got involved in COVID-19 research at laboratory or testing levels, either for research or towards drug development. During the training, molecular biologists, immunologists and industry experts will throw light on deconstructing the molecular structure of SARS-CoV-2 virus, offer a peek into real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for virus detection, share practical requirements and necessary precautions to abide by the handlers of samples and researchers. At present, India is following the real-time PCR testing scheme to check for virus infections among patients. Along with city-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), a few hundred labs from government and private sectors have also started performing tests. Narendra Chirmule, CEO, SymphonyTech Biologics, Kalpana Joshi, head, department of Biotechnology at Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pune, and Archana Bharadwaj Siva, Principal Scientist at CCMB, will address topics ranging from biosafety and biosecurity precautions, understanding the structure of the virus and real-time PCR platform and data analysis. The workshop has seen about 100 participants across professions from scientists, clinicians, laboratory staff of both government and private, as approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Several researchers from multiple IITs and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, along with private labs, have signed up for the maiden online training session. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, several researchers, laboratories and start-ups have come up with ideas and prototypes facilitating in either testing kits or medical equipment support.
