Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati have developed methods to detect and prevent the novel coronavirus using bio-interface interactions between the virus and the surface spike protein.

According to the team of researchers, the novel coronavirus (SARS CoV-2) is composed of inner nucleic acid which is covered with surface spike glycoprotein and the engineered surfaces can be potentially applied for the detection as well as prevention of COVID-19 — the disease caused by the virus.

“So far we are using antibody-based assays and RT-PCR based methods for testing during pandemic. However, longer assay time, cost, complex procedures and false positive or negative results are a few bottlenecks of these methods,” Lalit M Pandey, associate professor, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, told PTI.

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“The bio-interface interactions between virus surface spike protein and the surface can be explored for the rapid detection of coronavirus,” Pandey said.

“The interaction between the spike protein and contacting surfaces constitutes the key step of transmission of coronavirus. Thus, surface engineering, on one hand, shall facilitate a quick detection method and on the other hand, it would be a very secure method of protection against the virus, for example when applied on PPEs,” Pandey added.

The team’s research on surface modifications and analysis of the bio-interfacial (protein-surface) interactions have been published in reputed journals like Materials Science and Engineering C, Applied Surface Science, Langmuir, J. Phys. Chem. C and ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering, the report said.

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