Latest news with #DepartmentofBiosciencesandBioengineering
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
IIT-Roorkee researchers develop promising drug candidate to fight antibiotic resistance
Dehradun: In a significant step forward in the global fight against antibiotic resistance , IIT-Roorkee researchers have developed a new drug candidate, Compound 3b, that can restore the effectiveness of a potent antibiotic against deadly drug-resistant bacteria, an official release said. Led by Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, an IIT Roorkee team including Mangal Singh and Perwez Bakht, along with Norwegian collaborator Annette Bayer and her team from UiT Tromso, has designed a novel molecule that works alongside the antibiotic Meropenem to treat infections caused by KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae , a superbug listed among the World Health Organization's top-priority threats, the release said. "This breakthrough offers a promising solution to one of the world's most urgent health challenges -- antimicrobial resistance. Our compound neutralises the resistance mechanism, showing strong therapeutic results in preclinical models," Pathania, the principal investigator of the study, said. The molecule belongs to a class of β-lactamase inhibitor drugs that prevents bacterial enzymes from breaking down life-saving antibiotics. Compound 3b is highly specific, safe to human cells, and works synergistically with Meropenem to kill resistant bacteria, the release said, adding that lab and animal tests significantly reduced bacterial infection in the lungs.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
IIT Roorkee Finds Breakthrough To Beat World's Most Dangerous Superbugs
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee have developed a new drug candidate that could restore the power of a critical antibiotic against one of the world's most dangerous superbugs. The discovery offers renewed hope in the escalating battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The research team, led by Prof Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, designed a novel molecule, Compound 3b, that works with a potent antibiotic Meropenem. This combination therapy has shown the ability to treat infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, a pathogen designated as a top-priority threat by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its resistance to multiple drugs. "This breakthrough offers a promising solution to one of the world's most urgent health challenges," stated Prof. Pathania. "Our compound neutralises the resistance mechanism and shows strong therapeutic results in preclinical models." Compound 3b is a type of drug that prevents bacteria from using enzymes to destroy antibiotics. The study, which included collaboration with researchers from UiT Tromso in Norway, found the new compound to be highly specific, safe for human cells, and effective at reducing bacterial infection in lung tests on animals. The discovery of a drug like Compound 3b is a crucial step in a larger fight. Antibiotic resistance is a silent pandemic that makes once-treatable infections, from pneumonia and tuberculosis to common wound infections, lethal again. Without effective antibiotics, many modern medical procedures, including surgery, organ transplants, and cancer chemotherapy, become much more risky. This research is vital because it addresses a fundamental problem of the bacteria evolving faster than the speed at which new drugs are being developed. By revitalising existing antibiotics, Compound 3b provides a powerful new tool without starting from scratch. It is a strategic victory against a microbial enemy that threatens to unravel decades of medical progress. "This innovation reflects IIT Roorkee's commitment to developing impactful scientific solutions for global challenges. In the face of rising antibiotic resistance, such research provides critical hope for effective and accessible treatments," said IIT Roorkee director Prof KK Pant. The findings have been published in the prestigious Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and is expected to be a significant step forward in safeguarding public health from drug-resistant superbugs.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
IIT Guwahati harnesses clay sedimentation to identify and measure Coronavirus
Guwahati: Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati researchers have developed a novel method for detecting and measuring the amount of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The innovative approach is based on how quickly a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture settles; a process commonly known as sedimentation, offering a simple and affordable alternative to the complex and expensive methods currently in use for virus detection. The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Applied Clay Science, in a paper co-authored by Prof. T V Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, and Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, along with research scholars Dr Himanshu Yadav and Deepa Mehta at IIT Guwahati . Posing a threat to human lives globally, COVID-19 pandemic revealed a critical gap in how viral infections are detected and tracked. Current methods, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), are highly sensitive but time-consuming and require heavy equipment. Similarly, the antigen testing is fast but lacks accuracy, while antibody testing is used after the infection has occurred, highlighting limitations at various levels. Additionally, many of these methods are not practical in resource-limited settings or during large-scale outbreaks. To address these gaps, Prof. T V Bharat, Dept. of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, along with his research team has used Bentonite clay, a clay well known for its ability to absorb pollutants and heavy metals due to its unique chemical structure in collaboration with Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering. Previous studies have shown that clay particles can bind with viruses and bacteriophages, making it a promising material for virus detection. The research team focused on how Bentonite clay interacts with virus particles in a salt environment. The research team found that a Coronavirus surrogate and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) bind to the negatively charged clay surfaces at a controlled room temperature and a neutral pH of 7. Speaking about the findings of the research, Prof. T V Bharat said, "Imagine a world where detecting viruses is as simple as watching sand settle in water. That is the breakthrough we have achieved! Our new method uses clay to quickly identify and measure viruses, like the coronavirus. By observing how the clay settles in a solution, we can determine if a virus is present and how much of it there is. This innovative approach offers a faster, more affordable, and accurate alternative to current methods, paving the way for better disease monitoring and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics, this study is in continuation with our recent studies published in prestigious journals like Langmuir in developing exclusive biomedical waste facilities for disposing pathogenic waste sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India." The research team validated their findings using established virus-detection methods, including plaque assay for a coronavirus surrogate and RT-PCR for IBV. The developed technique produced accurate results in comparison to the standard detection methods, reinforcing its reliability. Notably, the method can be extended to detect other viruses such as the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which affects poultry and causes major losses in the farming industry. This development holds great promise for improving how viral outbreaks are monitored and controlled, especially in regions where expensive lab equipment and trained personnel are not readily available. With further refinement, the method could be adapted for use in field kits or simple laboratory setups, making virus detection more accessible and efficient in future public health emergencies. As the next step, the research team is planning to collaborate with industry partners with medical facilities for clinical trials for SARS-Cov-2 and other viruses. By partnering with industry, the research team hopes to leverage the resources and expertise necessary to conduct robust clinical trials and ultimately contribute to the global effort to combat viral infections.
India Today
07-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
IIT Guwahati develops low-cost way to measure COVID-19 using clay
A research team at IIT Guwahati has come up with a new way to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 -- using clay and salt water. This method doesn't rely on heavy lab equipment or complex tests. Instead, it watches how a mix of clay, virus, and salt water settles over time, a process known as study, led by Professor TV Bharat from the Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Sachin Kumar from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, explores the use of Bentonite for sticking to pollutants, this clay also binds with viruses when placed in the right environment -- room temperature and a neutral pH.'Think of it like watching mud settle in a glass of water,' Prof. Bharat explained. 'The way the clay falls can tell us if a virus is there and how much of it is present.'The team tested the method using a virus similar to coronavirus and the Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). They checked the results using existing detection tools like RT-PCR and plaque assays. The clay-based approach gave matching results -- without the need for expensive method could be useful not just for detecting COVID-19 but also other viruses, like those affecting poultry farms. It could be especially handy in places that don't have access to high-end researchers now plan to team up with medical labs and industry players to test this approach on real-world samples. If all goes well, they hope to turn it into a simple field kit for future idea -- watching how fast clay sinks -- could become part of how we deal with virus outbreaks in the future, especially in areas that need quick, low-cost solutions. advertisement
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
IIT Guwahati harnesses clay sedimentation to identify and measure coronavirus
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati researchers have developed a novel method for detecting and measuring the amount of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes innovative approach is based on how quickly a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture settles; a process commonly known as sedimentation, offering a simple and affordable alternative to the complex and expensive methods currently in use for virus findings of this research have been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Applied Clay Science, in a paper co-authored by Prof. T.V. Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, and Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, along with research scholars Dr. Himanshu Yadav and Deepa Mehta, at IIT Guwahati Posing a threat to human lives globally, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a critical gap in how we detect and track viral infections. Current methods, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), are highly sensitive but time consuming and require heavy equipment. Similarly, the antigen testing is fast but lacks accuracy, while antibody testing is used after the infection has occurred, highlighting limitations at various levels. Additionally, many of these methods are not practical in resource-limited settings or during large-scale address these gaps, Prof. T.V. Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, along with his research team has used Bentonite clay, a clay well known for its ability to absorb pollutants and heavy metals due to its unique chemical structure in collaboration with Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering. Previous studies have shown that clay particles can bind with viruses and bacteriophages, making it a promising material for virus research team focused on how Bentonite clay interacts with virus particles in a salt environment. The research team found that a Coronavirus surrogate and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) bind to the negatively charged clay surfaces at a controlled room temperature and a neutral pH of T.V. Bharat said, 'Imagine a world where detecting viruses is as simple as watching sand settle in is the breakthrough we have achieved! Our new method uses clay to quickly identify and measure viruses, like the coronavirus. By observing how the clay settles in a solution, we can determine if a virus is present and how much of it there innovative approach offers a faster, more affordable, and accurate alternative to current methods, paving the way for better disease monitoring and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics, this study is in continuation with our recent studies published in prestigious journals like Langmuir in developing exclusive biomedical waste facilities for disposing pathogenic waste sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.'The research team validated their findings using established virus-detection methods including plaque assay for a coronavirus surrogate and RT-PCR for IBV. The developed technique produced accurate results in comparison to the standard detection methods, reinforcing its the method can be extended to detect other viruses such as the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which affects poultry and causes major losses in the farming development holds great promise for improving how viral outbreaks are monitored and controlled, especially in regions where expensive lab equipment and trained personnel are not readily available. With further refinement, the method could be adapted for use in field kits or simple laboratory setups, making virus detection more accessible and efficient in future public health the next step, the research team is planning to collaborate with industry partners with medical facilities for clinical trials for SARS-Cov-2 and other viruses. By partnering with industry, the research team hopes to leverage the resources and expertise necessary to conduct robust clinical trials and ultimately contribute to the global effort to combat viral infections.
