ISLAMABAD-The Larger Training Fee (HEC) has awarded 10 tasks price Rs150 million for analysis on novel coronavirus (COVID-19), assertion stated on Wednesday.
An announcement launched by HEC stated that in response to COVID-19 disaster, it launched a centered Speedy Analysis Grant (RRG) in April 2020 to interact academia in analysis across the medical administration of the pandemic. The grant is aimed to encourage tutorial analysis to strengthen medical administration or public well being response in opposition to this virus.
Underneath the specialised analysis initiative, potential challenge proposals have been invited to contribute to the much-needed understanding of coronaviruses – the Extreme Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and COVID-19.
Contemplating the time-crunch, a specialised panel was constituted and tasked to finish the shortlisting in three to 4 weeks. Greater than 300 functions have been obtained for this grant.
After impartial critiques, 58 proposals have been shortlisted based mostly on already introduced eligibility standards and different mandatory necessities. Later, these proposals have been collectively reviewed by consultants of Medical and Organic Sciences, Engineering and Know-how and at last 10 high quality tasks made it to the final stage after rigorous scrutiny.
The funds for every of RRG award is upto a most of Rs15 million (USD 100,000) with a most challenge length of 12 months. These analysis tasks provide quite a lot of pragmatic solution-oriented analysis, starting from early detection diagnostic kits to immune response and understanding the virus behaviour.
The proposals from 10 universities have been finalised. The College of the Punjab gained two grants – one for an indigenous, low-cost manufacturing of ultra-pure Taq Polymerase and PCR combine for COVID-19 medical diagnostic kits, and the opposite for growth of a dependable, economical and excessive throughput serodiagnosis methodology for early detection of COVID-19.
COMSATS College Islamabad has gained the grant for growth of RT-LAMP Assay for early detection of COVID-19, whereas Nationwide Textile College, Faisalabad analysis will concentrate on growth of bioactive hospital textiles and protecting fits in opposition to viruses and micro organism by immobilisation of nanomaterials.
The College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore has gained the analysis grant for epidemiological illness modelling and molecular surveillance of SARS-CoV-2, whereas DOW College of Well being Sciences, Karachi can be engaged on IVIG manufacturing from convalescent plasma of COVID-19 survivors, a low threat, excessive effectivity passive immunisation technique in opposition to SARS-CoV-2. Apparently, the check outcomes of DOW college analysis are already very promising. Different challenge winners embrace the College of Well being Sciences, Lahore (Immunological Virology and Genetic Foundation of COVID-19 Sufferers), Lahore College of Administration Sciences (Mapping Immune Response to SARS-COv2 utilizing a multidisciplinary method), Aga Khan College, Karachi (Phylo- and immuno- dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 an infection in Pakistan: relating COVID-19 illness severity in with viral variety) and Well being Companies Academy (HSA), Islamabad (Computational Modelling for COVID-19 Epidemic in Pakistan: Predictive Modelling of Illness Morbidity, Mortality and Evaluation of Calls for on the Intensive Care Models).
To make sure prime quality of analysis, school members from these universities have been inspired to collaborate with personal sector and business, each inside and outdoors Pakistan, as wanted.
HEC funded 1000’s of analysis tasks up to now, and this has led to greater than 20,000 analysis articles revealed in recognised journals final yr. With provision of RRGs, HEC hopes that tutorial researchers will come ahead to contribute to higher well being methods dealing with real-life challenges.
