The National Centre for Biological Sciences, a Bengaluru-based research organisation, has come out with a Covid-19 test that does not require a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) machine and can be altered to detect mutant strains of the virus.

PHANTOM efficiently detects the presence of viral RNA in human patient samples, with clear distinction from samples designated negative for the virus. This diagnostic tool was developed using RNA biosensors to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA, based on “toehold switches”, sensors which can be designed to detect any sequence of interest.

Efficient detection of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been a question on the minds of many researchers worldwide since early 2020. NCBS researcher Dr Arati Ramesh, along with Dr Akash Gulyani from the University of Hyderabad, sought to tackle the pressing need for a rapid, accurate, and inexpensive testing method.

Read More at: https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/ncbs-to-record-t...

While India focuses on the habitat losses of large mammals, some smaller wildlife may be slipping through the cracks in protection programmes. A new study has found that only a minuscule percentage of the habitat of four species of small and rare wild cats are protected.

Read about the global survey on the loss of sense of smell and taste in people with COVID-19. Dr. Shannon Olsson is part of the consortium studying this. 

A lab at the city-based NCBS has discovered iron-sensing RNAs called Sensei.

New research by a lab run by Dr Axel Brockmann at NCBS shows that in spite of differences in the behaviour of the dancer, the bees following this dance observe the dancer from identical vantage points and respond to the information with similar behaviours.