Indian Institute of Science

Celebrating Indian scientists’ contributions to the independence movement

Celebrating Indian scientists’ contributions to the independence movement

New Delhi: VigyanPrasar, an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology has drawn up an ambitious programme to celebrate the contributions of Indian scientists, science communicators, and teachers during India’s independence movement to mark the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence in collaboration with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) and science NGO, VijnanaBharati (Vibha). The celebration is part of the Government of India’s nationwide initiative titled `SwatantrataAmritMahotsav’ to highlight a major milestone in the history of independent India, is being implemented in two phases. The first phase is getting…
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Harvesting electricity from vibrations

Harvesting electricity from vibrations

New Delhi: A team of scientists has fabricated a simple, cost-effective, bio-compatible, nanogenerator that can generate electricity from mere vibrations for use in optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical applications. Search for renewable energy resources with reduced carbon emissions is one of the most urgent challenges due to the increasing threat of global warming and the energy crisis. Among other things, mere vibrations are being harnessed to produce electricity. Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) are new energy devices that generate electricity from vibrations. They work on the principle of the creation of electrostatic charges via instantaneous physical contact of two dissimilar materials…
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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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