News on Science, Technology and Research in India
The 4th June, 2021 was a historic day for TMH, IIT Bombay team and cancer care in India as the first CAR-T cell therapy (a type of gene therapy) was done at the Bone Marrow Transplant unit at ACTREC, Tata Memorial Center in Mumbai. The CAR-T cells were designed and manufactured at Bioscience and Bioengineering (BSBE) department of IIT Bombay.
Researchers at the Engines and Unconventional Fuels Laboratory, IIT Delhi developed a new technology and built “Hydrogen fuelled Spark-Ignition Engine Generator” in collaboration with Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited (KOEL), and the Indian Oil R&D Centre for the utilization of hydrogen in internal combustion engines for zero-emission with higher thermal efficiency. A dedicated lubricating oil for the engine was also developed by the IOCL.
Indian Scientists have developed an environmental-friendly process, which can provide excellent corrosion resistance to the high-strength aluminium (Al) alloys extensively used in aerospace, textile, and automotive applications. It involves an electrochemical method for the production of an oxide film on the metallic substrate.
A laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and a relatively recent Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) centre have come together to conduct special tests for India’s landmark Gaganyaan mission.
Astronomers tracking star formation activity of the young Universe billions of years ago have long been intrigued by the fact that star formation in galaxies which was at its highest about 8-10 billion years ago, had declined steadily thereafter. Searching for the reason behind this, they have found that the likely cause for the decline is that galaxies were running out of fuel.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of astrophysics have pinned down the mechanism behind the Lithium production in low mass red clump stars. Having found lithium excess to be common among the low mass red clump giants, they have now traced Helium (He)-flashing phase of the star’s evolution as the site for high lithium production. This transition phase lasts for about 2 million, during which RGB giants with inert He-core at the centre become red clump giants of He-core burning.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)’s Nagpur based constituent laboratory National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), has conducted Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of Microbial Diversity of river Ganga. The study will reveal the identity of microbes that inhabit the river that help maintain the health of river as well as those that are now inhabitants that have been added due to anthropogenic activities, researchers said.
Scientists have fabricated a device that can mimic human brain cognitive actions and is more efficient than conventional techniques in emulating artificial intelligence, thus enhancing the computational speed and power consumption efficiency.
The Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad has developed nano fibre-based, controlled-release oral tablets of amphotericin B (AmB) to treat post-Covid fungal infections. Researchers have kept the technology free of intellectual property rights and are looking for pharmaceutical partners who can take up mass-scale production. Currently, AmB is an injectible drug.
Scientists have found that the natural indigo dye extracted from leaves of a plant of the bean family is capable of protecting human eyes from harmful laser radiation. It could be used to develop optical limiters useful in weakening the potentially harmful radiation and protecting the human eyes or other sensitive optical devices from accidental damage in an environment where such lasers are in use.
