IIT-M partners with GIC Re to develop urine based TB diagnosis

The prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) is partnering with General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re), a Public Sector Undertaking, to develop a urine-based tuberculosis diagnosis or screening that is expected to be rapid and affordable in comparison to the existing TB diagnostic tests.

The envisaged product for urine-based TB screening and diagnosis is anticipated to be faster and far more affordable than the existing point-of-care diagnostic kits available for various diseases such as blood glucose monitors.

The key beneficiaries of this project, which is getting CSR funding from the GIC Re, will be primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare centres besides the health departments in state and Central Governments.

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards this Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnership was signed on February 10 by Prof Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT-M, and Madhulika Bhaskar, Director and General Manager, General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re).

The institute has partnered with over 180 entities under CSR and has raised over Rs 250 crore to implement 200 projects till date. “We are delighted that GIC Re is partnering with us on this important project to find an early diagnostic tool for Tuberculosis,” Prof Panchagnula said.

A rapid and sensitive screening test could quickly identify the actual cases among suspected cases and help in timely treatment and disease control. With funding support from GIC Re, Researchers at IIT Madras led by Prof. V V Raghavendra Sai, Biomedical Engineering, Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Madras, aim to solve this problem.

“Collaboration between industry and academia is key to catalyze innovation and growth in technology. Associating with corporates and businesses, provides educational institutions access to more resources to fund and expand their research areas,” Bhaskar said.

The Biosensors Laboratory at llT-M is developing a novel plasmonic fiber optic absorbance biosensor (P-FA8) technology and has established a laboratory-level proof-of- concept for the detection of a well-reported tuberculosis biomarker in urine, known as ‘Upoaabinomannan (LAM).’

The results of this study have been published as an original article in a highly reputed research journal — biosensors and bioelectronics

“IIT Madras will be developing the proof-of-concept for the urine-based TB screening/diagnosis. The know-how and the relevant technologies will be made available to start-ups or diagnostic kit manufacturers,” the institute said.

IIT-Madras has already developed and patented the technologies for fiber optic sensor probe fabrication and optoelectronic readout devices and the intellectual property will be licensed to the interested parties for the envisaged application on a case-to-case basis.