XLN Universities’ Ongoing COVID-19 Research and Intervention
Researchers from member universities of the XLerator Network do amazing things to help in the fight against COVID-19 and advance technology commercialization coming from academic institutions at the same time. Some of those technologies are highlighted below, but examples are numerous, across universities in the network.
UofL breakthrough technology shows promise fighting novel coronavirus
University of Louisville researchers have developed a technology that is believed to block the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells. The technology is based on a piece of synthetic DNA – an “aptamer” – which targets and binds with a human protein called nucleolin. Early tests show that this aptamer may stop viruses, including novel coronavirus, from “hijacking” nucleolin to replicate inside the body.
Clemson, MUSC staff work together on COVID-19 testing research
In the rush to develop more accurate and quicker ways of testing people for COVID-19, researchers in South Carolina are volunteering their time to help ensure health care professionals have the testing supplies they need to stay safe.
WVU Medicine receives FDA Investigational Drug Approval for COVID-19 immunotherapy
WVU Medicine pediatric and adult allergist and immunologist Brian Peppers, D.O., Ph.D., has received Investigational New Drug approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the experimental treatment of COVID-19 using convalescent donor plasma. This is the first FDA approved Investigational New Drug trial for COVID-19 immunotherapy to include pediatric patients.
UK Researchers Seek to Develop Antiviral Membrane Mask
University of Kentucky researcher Dibakar Bhattacharyya has the concept and the means to develop a medical face mask that would capture and deactivate the COVID-19 virus on contact. Dibakar Bhattacharyya has been a fixture in the University of Kentucky’s College of Engineering for more than 50 years and is renowned for his research, which focuses on incorporating life sciences materials with synthetic membranes for filtering and producing clean water.
Marshall produces viral transport medium (VTM) in short supply needed for COVID-19 testing
A team of scientists, pathologists and lab technicians from Marshall University and Mountain Health Network are helping West Virginia address a limited supply of the solution used to transport testing swabs for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by making the mixture in one of the university’s labs.
PHSU monitors symptom of over 21,000 Puerto Rican residents through self-reporting platform
Sistema de vigilancia encabezado por la Ponce Health Sciences University realiza un monitoreo “online” de síntomas. La Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) dio a conocer los primeros resultados de su estudio “online”, que persigue realizar un monitoreo de los síntomas del coronavirus en los residentes en Puerto Rico.
