Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App





World's First Paper-Based COVID-19 Test Could Be Game-Changer for Coronavirus Testing

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Oct 2020
An inexpensive paper-based COVID-19 test that could give fast results similar to a pregnancy test can become a game-changer for coronavirus testing.

Researchers at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB New Delhi, India) have developed the world's first paper-based COVID-19 test that uses cutting-edge CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology for detection of genomic sequence of the novel coronavirus. More...
The technology was conceived and developed under a sickle cell mission and utilizes an indigenously developed cutting-edge CRISPR-Cas9 technology to specifically recognize COVID-19 sequence in a sample. A combination of CRISPR biology and paper-strip chemistry leads to a visible signal readout on a paper strip that can be rapidly assessed for establishing the presence of the viral infection in a sample. The test, named Feluda - an acronym for FNCAS9 Editor-Limited Uniform Detection Assay - after a famous Indian fictional detective, would return results in under an hour and cost less than USD 7.

Feluda is expected to address the urgent need for accurate mass testing because of its affordability, relative ease of use and non-dependency on expensive qPCR (quantitative polymerase chain reaction) machines. Feluda is being brought out of the lab and made available for wide use by a leading Indian conglomerate, Tata Sons, which has signed an MoU with CSIRIGIB to license the know-how. The MoU with Tata Sons allows for scaling up this knowhow in the form of a kit that can be deployed for testing on ground.

“This innovative ‘Feluda’ test uses cutting-edge CRISPR technology for detection of genomic sequence of the novel coronavirus. It uses a test protocol that is simple to administer and easy to interpret, enabling results to be made available to the medical fraternity in relatively lesser time as compared to other test protocols,” said Banmali Agrawala, president, Infrastructure and Defence and Aerospace, Tata Sons. “We believe that CRISPR is futuristic technology that can also be configured for detection of multiple other pathogens in the future.”

Related Links:
CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB)


Gold Member
Multiplex Genetic Analyzer
MassARRAY Dx Analyzer (Europe only)
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
New
HBV DNA Test
GENERIC HBV VIRAL LOAD VER 2.0
New
Rapid Molecular Testing Device
FlashDetect Flash10
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Left is the original cell image and right is same cell image zoomed in and rendered in the special imaging software (Photo courtesy of FIU)

Brain Inflammation Biomarker Detects Alzheimer’s Years Before Symptoms Appear

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions globally, but patients are often diagnosed only after memory loss and other symptoms appear, when brain damage is already extensive. Detecting the disease much earlier... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The VENTANA HER2 (4B5) test is now CE-IVDR approved (Photo courtesy of Roche)

Companion Diagnostic Test Identifies HER2-Ultralow Breast Cancer and Biliary Tract Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Europe, with more than 564,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths annually. Metastatic breast cancer is rising in younger populations and remains the leading cause... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: An adult fibrosarcoma case report has shown the importance of early diagnosis and targeted therapy (Photo courtesy of Sultana and Sailaja/Oncoscience)

Accurate Pathological Analysis Improves Treatment Outcomes for Adult Fibrosarcoma

Adult fibrosarcoma is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy that develops in connective tissue and often affects the limbs, trunk, or head and neck region. Diagnosis is complex because tumors can mimic... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.