New Delhi, February 7: With the coronavirus-related death toll rising every day in China, the world is desperately waiting for a vaccine.┬аA team led by an overseas citizen of India has got a major breakthrough in developing a vaccine for coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The Dangerous Pathogens team of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, headed by┬аProfessor SS Vasan,┬аhas grown the first batch of coronavirus outside China.┬аCoronavirus Turns People Into Zombies? Malaysia's Health Ministry Dispels 'Walking Dead' Rumour.

While researchers at Australia's Doherty Institute had last week managed to isolate coronavirus from a human sample, Professor Vasan's team has grown the virus in sufficient┬аquantity needed to conduct preclinical studies. The development has brought the world closer to a coronavirus vaccine. Professor Vasan is coordinating with several agencies to develop a vaccine for the virus which has claimed over 600 lives in China.┬аCoronavirus: China Seeking Court Approval to Kill 20,000 2019-nCoV-Infected Patients to Prevent Further Spread? Know Truth Behind Viral News.

Speaking of his ongoing research, Professor Vasan told Times of India: "We thank our Doherty Institute colleagues who shared their isolate with us promptly. It is quicker to work with the real virus to expedite preclinical studies on the relative efficacy of vaccine candidates under development." He works as┬аthe principal investigator of CSIRO's preclinical response project in partnership with the Coalition for Emergency Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Shedding light on the research, Professor Vasan said: "My colleagues at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory are also working on diagnostics, surveillance and response. Another part of the CSIRO (Manufacturing) is supporting the scaleup of vaccine antigens being developed by the University of Queensland." He added that┬аpreclinical responses to coronavirus will accelerate┬аthe development and evaluation of therapeutics which will eventually lead to the development of a vaccine.

An alumnus of BITS Pilani and IISc-Bengaluru, Professor Vasan completed his doctorate from┬аTrinity College, Oxford. He earlier conducted research on┬аdengue, chikungunya and zika. Coronavirus has been declared as a global emergency by the World Health Organisation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2020 10:28 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).