Be a part of us in an interesting interview with Dr. Rajas Warke, Director of Molecular Biology and Virology at HiMedia Labs. Dr. Warke performs a pivotal function for HiMedia Labs, specializing in progressive molecular biology options and automation.

This interview delves into the challenges of nucleic-acid extraction, the effectiveness of HiMedia’s automated programs, such because the Insta NX® Mag24, and their impression throughout varied industries. This dialog guarantees helpful insights into the evolving world of molecular diagnostics from a visionary within the area.

Please introduce your self and inform us about your profession so far.

I’m Dr. Rajas Warke, at the moment main the Molecular Biology & Virology Division (HiGenoMB) at HiMedia Labs. Pvt. Ltd., alongside my co-director and elder sister, Dr. Kavita Khadke. My educational journey started with a Bachelor’s in Pharmacy. Nonetheless, my eager curiosity in Biotechnology led me to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute within the USA, the place I pursued my Grasp’s within the area.

My ardour for analysis drove me to undertake a Doctorate diploma at UMass Med, in collaboration with MIT, specializing in Medical Immunology and Virology. After finishing my training overseas, I returned to contribute to my household’s enterprise, HiMedia Labs, as a second-generation chief.

In my function, I oversee the event of progressive molecular biology options and automatic platforms. I additionally handle the advertising, gross sales, and operations of our intensive product vary, encompassing over 2,000 SKUs. To additional improve my business decision-making expertise, I pursued an MBA in Household Enterprise Administration from the S. P. Jain Faculty of Administration, Mumbai. I’m continuously looking for methods to enhance our firm’s programs and keep up to date with the newest world know-how traits.

Dr. Rajas, may you begin by explaining the primary bottlenecks in nucleic acid extraction that industries face at present?

In varied industries, there is a notable development towards adopting Nucleic Acid Sequence-Primarily based Amplification (NASBA) in laboratory workflows. Step one in any biotechnology-based lab evaluation is DNA or RNA extraction. The kind of specimen and meant downstream purposes considerably affect the chosen methodology to attain the specified end result.

To place it merely, you’ll be able to liken the molecular biology workflow to a pc system’s enter/output course of, the place the enter command impacts the standard of the analyzed information. Equally, the standard and focus of extracted DNA or RNA are important components in any genetic evaluation, whatever the trade.

There are two main strategies for DNA/RNA extraction: silica-based columns and magnetic bead-based kits. At the moment, the sector of automation in nucleic acid extraction is changing into crowded with varied instrumentation choices. Nevertheless, there is a noticeable lack of high-quality kits which can be tailor-made to particular pattern sorts. These can embrace scientific samples, meals matrices, biopharma liquids, forensic samples, cosmetics, and extra. Addressing this hole by growing kits which can be particularly designed for these various pattern sorts is crucial.

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Might you elaborate on how HiMedia’s automated DNA/RNA extraction programs, such because the Insta NX® Mag24, deal with these bottlenecks and revolutionize nucleic acid extraction in varied industries?

HiGenoMB-HiMedia has all the time expertitised within the area of laboratory options, catering to the various wants of varied industries. Our product vary consists of devices and kits designed for various pattern processing capacities. The Insta NX Collection of Magnetic Automated Extraction options the Mag16, Mag32, and Mag96 fashions, with the quantity indicating the utmost variety of samples every can course of.

Uniquely, the Mag24 mannequin is engineered to deal with increased pattern volumes, as much as 5ml per pattern. This functionality is especially useful for oncology testing, which regularly requires processing bigger preliminary pattern volumes, necessitating a selected instrument design. The Mag24 is ideally fitted to such purposes.

Nevertheless, the flexibility of the Mag24 extends past oncology. It is also utilized in varied different purposes, reminiscent of automated midiprep plasmid DNA extractions for analysis and vaccine industries, in addition to in agriculture for screening quite a few samples concurrently for infections and even in meals diagnostics. The power to deal with bulk samples successfully is made attainable by the particular kits we design, making this instrument adaptable throughout varied industries.

Are you able to talk about the particular options of your automated programs that guarantee high-quality, environment friendly, and dependable DNA/RNA extraction? Particularly, what are the distinctive benefits of utilizing magnetic bead-based programs in nucleic acid extraction, and the way do they examine to conventional strategies?

Conventional DNA extraction strategies relied on a precipitation method utilizing Phenol and Isopropanol. This methodology was not solely cumbersome but additionally concerned dealing with hazardous chemical substances. Over time, this strategy was largely changed by the spin column-based methodology. The spin column strategy might be likened to utilizing a fishing internet, the place nucleic acids are trapped in a membrane after which individually eluted out.

In distinction, the magnetic bead-based strategy is akin to utilizing a fishing hook. On this methodology, DNA molecules bind to magnetic particles and are subsequently eluted out. Our intensive analysis and comparative research have proven that the magnetic bead-based strategy is extra particular and delicate for DNA extraction throughout varied pattern sorts. When mixed with automation, this methodology considerably reduces handbook errors and saves time in comparison with different strategies.

At HiGenoMB-HiMedia, we’ve developed user-friendly, pre-filled cartridges that additional reduce human intervention. These cartridges allow the simultaneous processing of a number of samples, streamlining the workflow and enhancing effectivity within the laboratory.

How does HiMedia Labs make sure that its Automated DNA/RNA Extraction programs keep forward of the evolving wants of multi-industrial customers?

We at HiGenoMB-HiMedia are agency believers that the true potential of automation programs in nucleic acid extraction is unlocked solely when they’re paired with the fitting kits. These kits are essential in bringing the scientific precision and effectivity wanted within the extraction course of.

Our devoted staff, comprising each engineers and extraction consultants, works tirelessly to develop automated options that aren’t solely delicate and user-friendly but additionally tailor-made particularly to fulfill the distinctive necessities of every pattern kind and the particular wants of our prospects’ purposes.

What units HiGenoMB-HiMedia aside is our distinctive formulation of buffers and the meticulous design of our protocols for the devices. This consideration to element in each {hardware} and reagent design is what makes our automated options stand out within the area of nucleic acid extraction.

With the growing want for speedy diagnostics, how do your programs assist the urgency in pathogen detection and precision drugs?

HiGenoMB-HiMedia has achieved a major milestone by submitting a patent for processing a most variety of COVID samples in a remarkably brief time — 96 samples in simply 11 minutes.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we performed a vital function by contributing to no less than 25% of the COVID testing in India, each in authorities and personal sectors. Moreover, our merchandise had been in excessive demand internationally, due to our progressive strategy of utilizing pre-filled plates mixed with the quickest protocol settings on our devices, proving particularly very important through the pandemic’s peak.

Our programs and kits are custom-designed to fulfill the particular wants of our prospects. This bespoke strategy and our technical and operational experience place us exceptionally properly within the Medical Speedy Diagnostic trade. We delight ourselves on delivering environment friendly and tailor-made options that reply successfully to the pressing calls for of well being crises just like the COVID-19 pandemic.

How do you envision the way forward for automated nucleic acid extraction know-how in enhancing the accuracy and effectivity of diagnostic processes?

Frequent challenges in nucleic acid extraction embrace a restricted variety of technical employees, excessive employees turnover, and the usage of completely different processing protocols throughout varied business kits. These components usually result in variability within the purity and yield of extraction outcomes, even for a similar pattern.

Moreover, attaining repeatability and reproducibility of outcomes between educated technical employees and throughout completely different laboratories is a major concern. Every laboratory strives to mitigate this variance attributable to human components.

By lowering or minimizing human intervention throughout testing, extra correct and environment friendly outcomes might be obtained. Automated extraction platforms play a vital function on this regard, enhancing the precision and effectiveness of diagnostic processes. The implementation of automated nucleic acid extraction know-how is essential to enhancing the reliability and consistency of diagnostics.

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What are probably the most thrilling developments in molecular diagnostics, and the way is HiMedia positioned to contribute to those developments?

Some of the important developments in molecular diagnostics is the event of POCT (Level-of-Care Testing) know-how, which automates your entire course of from pattern insertion to acquiring outcomes. This know-how holds nice promise for making superior diagnostic checks extensively accessible, significantly in growing and underdeveloped nations.

Nevertheless, a serious problem with present POCT applied sciences is their excessive price per pattern, which regularly limits their use to pick teams or depends on funding from world healthcare initiatives. In distinction, developed nations profit from sturdy logistics networks, making certain that samples from distant areas attain main diagnostic labs in good situation and inside an inexpensive timeframe.

In growing and underdeveloped nations, the scenario is starkly completely different. As a result of insufficient infrastructure, samples usually get spoiled or face delays in reaching diagnostic services. In such contexts, POCT platforms that require minimal or no technical experience might be revolutionary, enabling healthcare accessibility throughout all areas of a rustic.

Recognizing this want, HiMedia has been devoted to engaged on this entrance for a number of years. We’re within the last phases of growing an reasonably priced POCT platform and diagnostic equipment.

This automated, expertise-free resolution at an inexpensive price has the potential to empower clinicians and veterinarians considerably. They’ll concentrate on selecting the suitable POCT RT-PCR checks with out the burden of worrying concerning the affected person’s capacity to afford the diagnostic take a look at.

Lastly, how does HiMedia’s strategy to nucleic acid extraction contribute to a broader understanding and administration of ailments in various fields like scientific diagnostics, environmental testing, and meals security?

HiMedia acknowledges that, within the post-COVID-19 period, scientific molecular diagnostics have turn out to be a elementary element of medium to giant scale laboratories worldwide. To totally leverage this widespread adoption of quick and delicate testing strategies, there is a rising must implement extra RT-PCR primarily based assays on these machines at reasonably priced prices.

At HiMedia, we’re growing QR code-based on-line reporting software program. This innovation goals to allow speedy monitoring of the primary outbreak, its location, the variety of circumstances, and the course of its unfold. Such real-time information is essential for presidency businesses to implement an infection containment procedures swiftly.

Pace and ease are additionally important for environmental monitoring and meals security, the place testing usually requires minimal technical experience. Environmental samples are regularly collected removed from established labs, and the meals trade can’t afford prolonged waits to launch batches of manufactured gadgets. Nevertheless, each sectors face aggressive pressures and sometimes battle with growing high quality management (QC) testing prices.

Within the realm of meals security, POCT platforms could be a game-changer. Authorities officers and diagnostic labs can deploy them straight in marketplaces to make sure distributors adjust to mandatory product cleanliness requirements.

Due to this fact, at HiGenoMB HiMedia, we’re devoted to growing and implementing lab- and POCT-based molecular assays. These assays are reasonably priced and straightforward to make use of and preserve excessive requirements of sensitivity and specificity, catering to the various wants of the environmental and meals industries.

The place can readers discover extra info?

About Dr. Rajas V. Warke, Ph.D., M. B. A

Main one of the vital technologically superior branches of HiMedia Laboratories at present is the youngest director, Dr. Rajas Warke. The Molecular Biology Division at the moment headed by Dr. Rajas with Dr. Kavita Khadke as his co-director. After incomes his Doctorate Diploma in Virology & Immunology from the esteemed College of Massachusetts and Masters in Biotechnology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in USA he selected coming again to India to spearhead the Firm’s Molecular Biology and Virology Division.

He additional went on to earn the MBA diploma from the properly acclaimed S. P. Jain Faculty of Administration, Mumbai. He was additionally an Adjunct Analysis Scientist on the Haffkine Institute for 8 years. Over 30 Analysis Publications in Internationally peer reviewed journals, 2 ebook chapters and 5 patents to his credit score to this date are testimony of his laborious work being acknowledged and accepted world over. The wealthy mix of Molecular Analysis and Product Administration and 12 years of fingers on expertise within the area now, makes him deal with each obligations as a Technical Director and Advertising and marketing Resolution Maker.

Dr. Rajas Warke has led the Molecular Biology Division at HiMedia to one of many distinguished contributors for bringing in state-of-the-art Devices and Progressive know-how like Genetic Sequencing & Bioinformatics for the corporate. Dr. Rajas has been profitable in heading his younger staff at HiMedia in the direction of bringing Automated and Full Resolution for not solely Medical Diagnostics but additionally for the Meals, Water, Plant, Soil, Veterinary and Analysis Trade to India.

Growth of varied sorts of PCR kits and platforms which give Speedy, Correct, Dependable, extremely Delicate, Particular & Transportable analysis of ailments in tropical nations has been Dr. Rajas’s mantra. He has taken cost of the Molecular Biology Division with a imaginative and prescient to develop path breaking and cost-effective options on this area. His infectious enthusiasm and dedication proceed to encourage his staff to work tougher every day.