Menteri Ristek/BRIN: UI Gives Comprehensive and Significant Contribution to COVID-19 Research
Delli Asterina ~ FEB UI Public Relations Officer
Depok, 11 June 2020 – Universitas Indonesia (UI) received the first phase of funding for the COVID-19 Innovation and Research Consortium worth Rp8.1 billion from the Ministry of Research and Technology/National Agency for Research and Innovation (Kemenristek/BRIN). Consortium Chairman Prof. dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D. presented the decision of the head of the Consortium, Number 1/KCovid.19/Kp./V/20, dated 17 May 2020, First Phase, to UI Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., in a virtual event on Thursday (11/6). Minister of Research and Technology/BRIN Head Prof. Bambang P.S. Brodjonegoro, S.E.,M.U.P., Ph.D., joined the event to give directions.
“UI received the largest funding for COVID-19 research,” Bambang said. He went on to say that, “We classify the COVID-19 Research and Innovation Consortium’s program into five categories, namely Prevention; Screening and Diagnosis; Medicine and Therapy; Medical and Supporting Equipment; Social Humanities. UI is a member of the Consortium with significant contributions. This is evidenced by the proposal submitted by UI, which satisfies the five research and innovation categories so that UI can be involved in all aspects related to COVID-19, not only in the health sector but also in the field of social sciences and humanities. “
Furthermore, Bambang said that efforts to generate funds for the consotium have been boosted to support efforts to prevent the transmission of and/or control COVID-19 in Indonesia. The ministry plays an active role in integrating, harmonizing, coordinating and synergizing research and innovation programs to deal with COVID-19. The efforts include research, development, assessment and application (R & D) activities coordinated by the consortium. The R&D activities are expected to produce invention and innovation products that can be widely used by the public to prevent, detect and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Rp8.1 billion fund will be used by researchers involved in 24 research and innovation titles from various faculties at UI to accelerate COVID-19 handling. The 24 titles of the proposals consist of: 1 title for the Prevention category; 3 titles for the Medical Device category; 7 titles for the Medicine and Therapy category; and 13 titles for the Social Humanities and Public Health Modeling category. A group of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine (FKUI) led by dr. Erlina Burhan Sp.P (K) received the largest amount of fund, Rp1.9 billion, for their research title The Use of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Treat Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia.
Ari Kuncoro said, “We would like to thank the Ministry of Research and Technology/Head of National Agency for Research and Innovation for the support for UI researchers in creating breakthroughs in COVID-19 research and innovation. This collaboration is a triple helix model of innovation beetween universities and the government that has continued to improve. Amid an emergency situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UI is ready to produce innovations that answer the needs of the Indonesian people to solve the COVID-19 problem through outputs/studies by UI researchers. UI Research and Innovation is rooted in public needs and is directed at results that can be used directly in COVID-19 handling.”
On the same occasion, UI Vice Rector for Research and Innovation Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Abdul Haris, M.Sc said that the research and innovation proposal was submitted collectively by the Directorate of Innovation and Science Techno Park (DISTP UI) to the Ministry of Research and Technology/National Agency for Research and Innovation. “We really appreciate the enthusiasm of UI researchers in creating breakthroughs in innovation and research amid the COVID-19 pandemic. UI is intensifying research to help domestic production of medical devices, drugs and therapy, as well as other health support achieve independence.” (hjtp)
Source: ui.ac.id
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