IISc

Study could help unravel mystery of fatty acid accumulation in heart

Study could help unravel mystery of fatty acid accumulation in heart

New Delhi: Fatty acids are formed when the fat in our diet breaks down during digestion. While many of the body’s organs use glucose as their primary energy source, the heart derives most of its required energy (over 70%) from the oxidation of fatty acids. These are crucial for sustaining cardiomyocytes – cardiac muscle cells that control the rhythmic beating of the heart. However, the accumulation of excess fatty acids in cardiomyocytes triggers harmful responses, often leading to severe cardiac diseases. A recent study published in Cell Reports by a team of researchers from India and the US, led by scientists at the Indian…
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IISc start-up gets regulatory approvals for COVID-19 test

IISc start-up gets regulatory approvals for COVID-19 test

New Delhi: PathShodh Healthcare, a start-up incubated at the Society for Innovation and Development (SID), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has made a significant breakthrough in developing a first-of-its-kind, semi-quantitative electrochemical ELISA test for COVID-19 IgM and IgG antibodies. PathShodh has received the license to manufacture the test for sale from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), after due diligence validation at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, as per the requirements of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The novelty of the technology is based on the measurement of electrochemical redox activity of IgM…
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Indian scientists develop artificial enzyme to keep HIV virus in check

Indian scientists develop artificial enzyme to keep HIV virus in check

New Delhi: People suffering from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection can now hope to have a better quality of life with researchers at the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) developing a nano alternative to a natural enzyme that is used to block reactivation and replication of the virus in the host’s immune cells. Made from vanadium pentoxide nanosheets, the new “nanozymes” work by mimicking the natural enzyme called glutathione peroxidase to help reduce oxidative stress levels in the host’s cells, which is required to keep the virus in check. Presently, there is no method available to completely eliminate HIV…
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Study finds need for producing region-wise antivenom for snakebite

Study finds need for producing region-wise antivenom for snakebite

New Delhi: Around 58,000 die of snakebite every year in the country. A majority of snakebites that lead to death or disability are attributed to the ‘big four’ of Indian snakes – Russell’s viper, which is one of the deadliest snake species in the world; spectacled cobra; common krait; and saw-scaled viper. Commercial antivenom treatment for snakebite does not always prove effective. However, only a few efforts have been made to understand the reason for this. In a new study geared in this direction, researchers at Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc)’s Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) and collaborators have…
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