The agency is also providing research infrastructure for the development of reagents, starting from laboratory-scale research to testing before production-scale, acting head of BRIN's Life Sciences Research Organization, Iman Hidayat, told ANTARA here on Thursday.
This entire research infrastructure is open platform in nature, he informed.
This means that all researchers, not just the ones from BRIN, but even those from universities, as well as industry partners can utilize the facility free of cost, though under certain conditions, he said.
The research financing is not limited by budget restrictions, he said. A team of reviewers from BRIN will evaluate the suitability of research proposals submitted to the agency, he added.
In 2022, BRIN will continue to focus on research and innovation to handle COVID-19 as it is one of Indonesia's most pressing problems, he informed.
"BRIN provides special research funding for COVID-19, which certainly includes Omicron research," Hidayat said.
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The research and innovation financing in BRIN is open throughout the year and can be accessed via BRIN's official website for further information, he added.
Currently, there is already a COVID-19 detection product that utilizes the RT-LAMP (reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification) produced by BRIN's Chemical Research Center, Hidayat said.
RT-LAMP could serve as an alternative method to detect COVID-19 in addition to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, thereby helping bolster testing capacity in Indonesia, he added.
The advantage that RT-LAMP has over RT-PCR is that it does not require an expensive PCR detection device and the price of kits using RT-LAMP is lower, he said.
RT-Lamp has received a Health Device Distribution Permit Number (Kemenkes RI AKD 2030322XXXX) from Indonesia's Health Ministry, he added.
The distribution permit for the product, bearing the trademark Qi-LAMP-O, will remain valid until January 2027, he said.
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Translator: Martha S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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