Omicron specific mRNA based Booster vaccine developed indigenously (GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has announced that the Omicron-specific mRNA-based Booster vaccine developed using the indigenous platform technology by Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd.
Details:
- It was supported under the Mission COVID Suraksha, implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
- It has got a nod from the office of the Drug Control General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).
- DBT has facilitated establishing Gennova's mRNA-based next-generation vaccine manufacturing for developing the platform technology from proof of concept till Phase I clinical trial of the prototype mRNA-based vaccine developed against the Wuhan strain.
GEMCOVAC®-OM:
- GEMCOVAC®-OM is an Omicron-specific mRNA-based Booster vaccine developed using the indigenous platform technology by Gennova in collaboration with DBT.
- Like the prototype vaccine, GEMCOVAC®-OM is a thermostable vaccine, which does not require ultra-cold chain infrastructure used for other approved mRNA-based vaccines, making it easy for deployment pan India.
- It is delivered intra-dermally using a needle-free injection device system.
- When administered intradermally in participants as a booster, it generated significantly higher immune responses. The clinical outcome demonstrates the need for variant-specific vaccines for desired immune response.
About DBT
- The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, promotes and accelerates the development of biotechnology in India, including the growth and application of biotechnology in the areas of agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment, and industry.
About BIRAC:
- Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, as an Interface Agency to strengthen and empower the emerging Biotech enterprises to undertake strategic research and innovation, addressing nationally relevant product development needs.
Scientists find link between surges of cosmic radiation from space and earthquakes
GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- Scientists have identified a striking link between earthquakes and changes in the intensity of cosmic radiation measured on Earth’s surface, according to a recent study.
- This correlation could aid in earthquake prediction by up to two weeks, however, the ability to predict specific locations remains unclear at present.
Key Highlights:
- Cosmic ray data shifted 15 days forward relative to seismic data can help predict earthquakes, according to researchers from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Krakow, Poland.
- The researchers looked into verifying a previously known hypothesis that earthquakes could potentially be predicted by observing changes in cosmic radiation.
CREDO Project:
- IFJ PAN started the Cosmic Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory (CREDO) project in 2016, an international, virtual cosmic ray observatory accessible to all.
- It aggregates and processes data from numerous detectors, including particular smartphone sensors transformed into cosmic ray detectors via a simple app.
- A fundamental responsibility of CREDO is to track worldwide alterations in the flux of secondary cosmic radiation that reaches our planet’s surface. This radiation primarily originates in the planet’s stratosphere.
Key Findings:
- Earth’s magnetic field, a result of eddy currents in Earth’s liquid core, alters the trajectory of primary cosmic radiation’s charged particles.
- Any substantial earthquakes linked to disturbances in the Earth’s dynamo flows would alter the magnetic field of Earth, thus impacting the path of primary cosmic radiation. The fallout of these alterations would be apparent in the changes in the counts of secondary cosmic ray particles recorded by ground-based detectors.
- However, correlations between changes in cosmic ray intensity and earthquakes are not apparent in location-specific analyses. They only appear when seismic activity is taken into account on a global scale.
Way Forward:
- The discovery has led to intriguing questions about the potential influence of phenomena like dark matter streams.
