Bhubaneswar, June 13: Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) in Bhubaneshwar, which is part of the Department of Biotechnology of the Government of India, has developed a Syrian hamster-based animal models to aid in the testing of new medicines and vaccine candidates against the novel coronavirus.
A genetically engineered animal that can precisely mimic the pathophysiology of diseases present in people is known as an animal model. These animal models form an important component of research and contribute in the understanding of disease mechanisms. They can also be used to create and test potential remedies (vaccines and medications) for diseases without causing any harm to humans. Small animals, such as hamster, are ideal for research because they have short life cycles. Several generations of animals can be studied in a short amount of time to look for side effects and toxicities of drugs.
The hamster model developed by ILS, mimics a mild pattern of human disease with the ability to fully recover. A local virus isolate characterised at ILS was used to create the model. Their research was published in Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. An animal biosafety level -3 (ABSL-3) laboratory has been created in addition to the animal model. The animal models and lab facilities will function as a platform to conduct research. Researchers from academia, industry, and start-ups from India and abroad can use the platform for a charge.
