What is mRNA Technology used in COVID-19 vaccines for the first time?

On November 16, 2020, Moderna, a US Biotech firm announced that its COVID-19 vaccines are 94.5% effective. The announcement comes in days after Pfizer released results showing 90% effectiveness in its own vaccine. Both the companies use mRNA technology in their vaccines. This is the first time the mRNA technology is being used to create ..

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2020

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs

Topics: Antibodies • AstraZeneca • COVID-19 vaccine • DNA • Moderna • mRNA • Oxford University • Pfizer • spike proteins • Vaccines

FactsBox: First Automated RT-PCR machine

The Pune-based molecular diagnostics enterprise Mylab has launched “Compact XL”. It is the first fully automated machine in India to perform molecular diagnostic tests including RT-PCR for COVID-19. Highlights The Compact XL machine will automate lab processes starting from sample handling to preparing RT-PCR ready tubes. The machine is cartridge-based and can test multiple samples ..

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020

Category: India Nation & States Current Affairs

Topics: COVID-19 • DNA • Plasma • RNA • RT-PCR

Alzheimer Inhibitor developed by Jawaharlal Nehru Centre of Advanced Scientific Research

The scientists of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) operating under Department of Science and Technology has invented a natural product for Alzheimer disease. Significance Alzheimer’s is a disorder that accounts for more than 70% of all types of dementia. It is difficult to develop effective medication for the disease as the disease ..

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2020

Category: India Nation & States Current Affairs

Topics: alzheimer • Alzheimer's disease • Alzheimer’s • DNA • Drugs • Herbal Medicine • Medicine

Feluda: COVID-19 test developed by CSIR-IGIB scientists

The IGIB (Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology) operating under CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) have come up with a COVID-19 test called “Feluda”. Highlights The test has been named after a detective character in the stories of film maker Satyajit Ray. The total time taken by the test to produce results is ..

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2020

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs

Topics: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) • CRISPR-Cas9 • CSIR-IGIB • DNA • feluda • RNA extraction kit • RT-PCR Machine • Satyajit Ray

GBRC scientists find three new mutations of COVID-19

On April 17, 2020, the scientists at Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) have found three new mutations of COVID-19 virus. With this, GBRC becomes the first government laboratory in the country to sequence whole genome of COVID-19. Highlights There are six mutations of the virus that have been found so far. The scientists at GBRC ..

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2020

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs

Topics: Biotechnology • COVID-19 • DNA • Genetic Mutation • Genome Sequencing • ICMR • Mutation