SOP for Diagnostic Research Lab for COVID-19 using RT-PCR
The declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has necessitated concerted efforts to screen, diagnose and manage the disease. RT-PCR based methods have been the mainstay of diagnosis of new cases of COVID-19. The approach relies on identification and confirmation of the viral genome using specific nucleotide primers and probes.
While there are a number of probe sets and primers are now available in public domain and a number of commercial entities have been manufacturing and providing specific kits and assays for diagnosis and screening of SARS-CoV-2 virus. A comprehensive compilation of diagnostic and screening assays for COVID-19 has also been made available at CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB)
As part of the ongoing efforts to diagnose and manage the contagion, a number of research institutions and laboratories have joined in the effort to provide accessible and affordable diagnostics for COVID-19.
A compilation of Standard Operating Procedures/Protocols for Research Laboratories offering testing for SARS-nCoV-2 using RT-PCR.(For Research Use Only) has been put together to aid researchers in these laboratories which are providing as well as laboratories which are planning to provide COVID-19 diagnostic assays as part of their research mandate and clinical outreach. The protocol was compiled by Sridhar Sivasubbu, Sheetal Gandotra, and Vivek Rao Labs at CSIR-IGIB
