StemCell Therapy

A specialised laboratory for detecting Covid-19 was inaugurated today at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) around 3:00pm.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen inaugurated the lab through a video conference. Textiles and Jute Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah, who is also coordinator of Sylhet district during the pandemic, and SUST Vice Chancellor Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed were present during the video conference, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

"We spent around Tk 1.09 crore from our own fund to buy new equipment including one new RT-PCR machine," Professor Farid Uddin said.

The lab has been installed at the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology of the university.

A group of teachers and students of the department will be dedicated in operating the laboratory with guidance from head of their department Professor Dr Md Shamsul Haque Prodhan.

"A new RT-PCR machine has been installed in the laboratory and the biosafety level (BSL) has also been upgraded to level 2. We also installed waste management system to manage hazardous waste," said Ziaul Faruque Joy, assistant professor of the department.

"A team of 20 will be running one cycle daily, testing up to 94 samples each day. This cycle will be doubled soon," he said.

The lab at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College was overwhelmed with samples waiting to be tested on the lone RT-PCR machine, prompting SUST to join the cause.

After the university showed interest, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on April 12 ordered its concerned division to take steps to initiate testing at the lab. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) cleared the way on May 3.

More here:
Specialised Covid-19 detection lab inaugurated at SUST - The Daily Star

This entry was posted on May 18, 2020 at 8:49 pm and is filed under Genetic Engineering. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |