This is based on our earlier discovery that some antibodies, created during infection with common colds, can also target SARS-CoV-2.įind out more about the national research project to study the effects of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.ĬOVID-19 molecular mechanisms and target identification We are testing a vaccine in preclinical models that trains the immune system to recognise all coronaviruses and variants thereof - a pan-coronavirus vaccine. We are also preparing for further mutations and new variants of SARS-CoV-2 that may not respond to the current vaccines, or for future zoonotic (spread between animals and people) introductions of novel coronaviruses. Currently, we are focussing on the new variants that emerged in the UK, South Africa and Brazil. We are specifically investigating if immunity, induced by infection or vaccination with the original strain, can protect against new variants. The Crick is investigating the degree of cross-reaction and cross-protection between the new variants, and also between common cold coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2. What are the threats from the new SARS-CoV-2 variants? The team’s approaches are also being used to test whether COVID-19 vaccines are effective in cancer patients. Find out more about the COVID-IP project. The results have led to a collaborative study with public health statisticians, to investigate if those ‘markers’ offer an improved way for doctors to predict which patients are likely to need intensive care and to get them the treatment they need faster. In the new platform, they are identifying so-called ‘immune response markers’ that differentiate patients according to their disease severity. The team has previously run large studies monitoring how people’s immune systems respond to flu vaccines, and have developed new methods for tracking patients’ immune response. The Crick, King’s College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust have built a high-throughput platform, looking at patient’s blood over time to see how our immune system responds to coronavirus, and if there are clues to whether someone might need additional treatment. Our researchers are using their substantial expertise in inflammation research, tissue repair and virology, to study why some people can’t get rid of the infection after a few days and why some people enter a type of ‘immune shock’ where inflammatory cells cause the body to shut down. Some patients with COVID-19 suffer from overreactive immune responses. Gitta Stockinger, Caetano Reis e Sousa, George Kassiotis, Adrian Hayday, Anne O’Garra, Samra Turajlic, Rupert Beale, Andreas Wack, Veni Papayannopoulos How do we know who may need intensive care? Validation of these methods will be useful not only for patient diagnosis and screening of health workers, but also for future screening of populations for virus prevalence.Ĭovid-19 immunity and immunopathology – testing and mechanisms We will continue to use our experience to compare and evaluate testing methods, and improve clinical diagnostic testing. The Crick is trying to build a device based on RT-LAMP that could be used at “point-of-care” in hospitals and care homes around the world. Our testing methods include qRT-PCR (a laboratory-based technique to detect SARS-CoV-2 genetic material), and others such as RT-LAMP, which do not require specialised equipment and are faster. It has also allowed us to safely continue our vital research for both COVID-19 and our wider work. Our testing service helps local hospitals and care homes remain open and safe for staff and patients. The Crick rapidly set up a testing centre in April 2020 for SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID-19 - in collaboration with University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust and its diagnostic partner Health Services Laboratories (HSL). Michael Howell, Caetano Reis e Sousa, Charlie Swanton How can we improve diagnostic testing? Covid-19 diagnosis – methods evaluation and development
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |