A COVID-19 testing laboratory has been established in the Jorhat campus of the North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) on Tuesday.
The lab was inaugurated by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Assam.
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The Director of CSIR-NEIST, Dr G. Narahari Sastry, described this momentous event as an important milestone in the annals of CSIR-NEIST history.
Appreciating the fact that NEIST is the first research and development institute in Assam to open up a testing facility, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated the scientists and staff of the institute for making it happen.
Dr Sastry mentioned that a team of 10 scientists of the institute are actively involved in isolation of RNA from the virus besides 40 other staff members are acting as a support system.
The institute’s Biotechnology Division is playing a pivotal role in carrying out RT-PCR-based COVID-19 testing. Besides, the Govt. of Assam and the district administration of Jorhat are actively cooperating and facilitating the efforts put in by the institute.
A microbiologist from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Assam has been engaged with the institute’s COVID-19 testing laboratory to certify the testing.
The samples for the testing are expected to be obtained in coordination with the state government and the district administration of Jorhat. The institute has also contractually engaged a project scientist and a research scholar for the testing purpose.
