Coronavirus

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, are working on rapid identification of COVID-19 biomarkers in blood plasma using Raman spectroscopy and artificial intelligence. Raman Spectroscopy is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique which provides detailed information about chemical structure, phase and polymorphy, crystallinity and molecular interactions. It is based upon the interaction of light with the chemical bonds within a material. According to the team, using artificial intelligence and deep learning, the COVID-19 detection process will be automated and rapid and there will be no requirement of any extraction procedure. "It is of critical importance to develop new technologies that can rapidly detect COVID-19 and perform mass testing, and at the same are cost-effective. In this regard, Raman spectroscopy holds significant promise," according to Dipankar Nandi, Professor at IISc Bangalore and principal investigator of the project.