The Rockefeller University
More than 25 labs have launched a broad attack on the coronavirus. In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, The Rockefeller University has launched numerous studies aimed at better understanding the biology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and developing interventions to prevent and treat infections. The effort involves approximately one-fourth of the university’s labs that are leaders in virology, immunology, genomics, structural biology and many other fields.
Rockefeller scientists are attacking COVID-19 from multiple angles focused on developing novel treatments, a therapeutic vaccine, and better tests. Experts in infectious diseases, virology, immunology, genomics, structural biology, and many other fields are collaborating together and with scientists from around the world to accelerate the pace of discovery at this critical time.
Projects include the development of antibodies and other therapeutics capable of preventing or treating the infection; small molecules that inhibit the activity of viral or human proteins required for viral replication; and improved animal models for testing potential treatments. Scientists are also taking several approaches to identify new vulnerabilities of the virus, including genomic studies of humans with unusual responses to infection and cell-based screens using CRISPR gene-editing technology.