HYDERABAD: The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, is all set to start genome research on the samples of COVID-19-positive patients in the State. This is to study why close to 60 per cent of the patients in Telangana were asymptomatic, while the rest require intensive treatment.
Dr Rakesh Mishra, Director of CCMB, told Express, “The COVID-19-19 pandemic has affected lakhs of people across the globe. In Telangana, we have noted that while 60 per cent of the people who are affected by the virus are asymptomatic in nature, while the rest have symptoms and require treatment. So, the research will help us understand one of the two things -- is the virus different in the 40 per cent of people, or do 60 per cent of people have some differences in their genes as compared to the rest of the positive patients.”
He further added, “This process, however, cannot be accomplished within days or weeks. We may need a minimum of two months to come to any sort of conclusion. However, the research, if successful, will be able to point out a certain group of people who can go out, work, and be a part of social life, and the group of people who should take precautions, once the lockdown is lifted.”
The CCMB started testing COVID-19-positive samples close to a month ago. Will the samples of the positive patients be used for the research? “Yes. For the research to be successful, we will require all the data related to every patient, their treatment, history, and their samples. Thus, we have contacted all the hospitals and authorities involved and signed documents related to research ethics, and the process will be started soon.”
Vaccine for virus
Asked if the research would help in the development of vaccine or a treatment for Coronavirus, he said, “We have not thought that far yet. However, I feel it would not be very helpful. It may definitely help us understand the dynamic nature of the virus and how it changes inside a host, and that information may be helpful in the development of a vaccine. But all of this will depend on the result of our research.”
Understanding the virus better
The research is to study why close to 60 per cent of the patients in Telangana are asymptomatic, while the rest of the 40 per cent require intensive treatment. It may help in understanding the dynamic nature of the virus and that information may be helpful in developing a vaccine