Proposals invited on COVID-19 & related respiratory viral infections

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science & Technology, on March 20, 2020, invited proposals as part of special call under IRHPA (Intensification of Research in High Priority Area) scheme specifically designed for COVID-19 and related respiratory viral infections to ramp up national R&D efforts for new antivirals, vaccines, and affordable diagnostics.

Academic and research institutions have been encouraged to submit competitive proposals having a strong interdisciplinary component between chemists, biologists, virologists, immunologists, and clinicians, in the related areas and to focus on the development of affordable diagnostics, vaccines, antivirals, disease models and other R&D to study these infections.

One of the participating institutions should have access to BSL-3 (Bio-safety level 3) and above facilities, along with the expertise in handling respiratory viruses as per WHO/Govt. of India protocols. DST-SERB encourages technical partnerships and collaborative know-how from biotech and pharmaceutical companies. SERB is committed for strategic investments to accelerate antiviral research, according to a PIB release.

The Proposals may be submitted as per SERB-IRHPA format by 5 pm on March 30, 2020, through the SERB online portal. The proposals may focus on some of the key themes such as New or repurposed antivirals against valid viral targets; viricidal coatings; etc; Affordable diagnostics for symptomatic and asymptomatic respiratory viral infections; Investigational vaccines against respiratory viruses; Response of virus to temperature, humidity & UV radiation; Development of disease models for respiratory viral infections; Studies on immune response and immunity during respiratory viral infections; and Epidemiology of COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections