Eight US, India teams to conduct cutting-edge research on COVID-19

Eight bi-national teams comprising researchers from India and the US have been tasked to carry out cutting-edge research in pathogenesis and disease management of COVID-19 virus through Indo-US virtual networks. The forum aims to act as a catalyst to promote long-term scientific collaborations between India and the US through partnerships among scientists, institutions, and the scientific community at large.

They will conduct research in areas including antiviral coatings, immune modulation, tracking SARS CoV-2 in wastewater, disease detection mechanisms, reverse genetics strategies, and drug repurposing.

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The Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF), an autonomous organisation jointly funded by India and the US, announced these awards to eight bi-national teams of researchers from India and US.

These eight teams are among the best few who submitted proposals to harness combined expertise of scientific communities, facilitate partnerships and leverage existing infrastructure in both countries to boost research on COVID-19.

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"Our strong cooperation in health, energy, artificial intelligence continues to bring value and attests to the importance of Indo-US collaborations in providing compelling solutions," Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, and IUSSTF India Co-Chair, said.  

Jonathan Margolis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science, Space and Health, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, and IUSSTF US Co-Chair said: "Our people and economies both rely on science and technology to identify tools to address the pressing challenges of the current pandemic."

"The Indo-US Virtual networks will enable breakthroughs, leading to the development of innovative and transformative solutions to combat this pandemic," said Dr Nandini Kannan, Executive Director IUSSTF.

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