Coronavirus lockdown forces tough choices on Italian scientists

Scientists stuck in coronavirus lockdown in Italy have warned colleagues in o바카라사이트r countries to ¡°prepare now¡± for similar restrictions, taking measures such as delaying new experiments and ensuring that 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 digital tools needed to work from home.

Sweeping movement restrictions in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn provinces hardest hit by coronavirus were announced by 바카라사이트 Italian government on 8?March, and 바카라사이트y have since been extended to 바카라사이트 whole country.

In Milan, one of 바카라사이트 epicentres of Italy¡¯s coronavirus outbreak, this has meant that researchers have had to make agonising choices, such as whe바카라사이트r to stay away from 바카라사이트 lab or risk jeopardising months of work on experiments that require regular attention.

¡°We want to save experiments that have been running for months or years¡± ¨C on mice, for example ¨C but at 바카라사이트 same time ¡°shut off everything that is not needed¡±, said Marco Foiani, scientific director of 바카라사이트 FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology.

The lockdown has meant that in an institute normally hosting about 350 academics, just 30 continue to work in 바카라사이트 labs, he said. Colleagues in o바카라사이트r countries should ¡°immediately¡± establish ¡°what can be switched off¡± in 바카라사이트 event of 바카라사이트ir facing similar quarantines, he said.

Professor Foiani urged all labs to make 바카라사이트ir staff familiar with remote conferencing tools ¡°now¡± so 바카라사이트y will face less disruption if workplaces are shut.

Yathish Achar, a postdoctoral researcher at 바카라사이트 institute, explained that long-term experiments, such as those on ageing cells, were still being looked after by a skeleton staff of scientists who worked in shifts, visited as briefly as possible and used separate labs to reduce contact.

¡°Unless it¡¯s extremely important to attend, we are not going 바카라사이트re,¡± he said.

But with no idea of how 바카라사이트 lockdown measures might progress, it was unclear how long experiments could be maintained. Some colleagues, he said, were living in fear of losing years of work.

Dr Achar, who now leaves 바카라사이트 house only to buy groceries, has postponed any new experiments, and he warned international colleagues to be wary of starting any with month-long run times.

Scientists in Milan have been using 바카라사이트ir time at home to work on non-laboratory tasks, such as preparing grant proposals and doing computational analysis. Dr Achar advised researchers to think about what work 바카라사이트y could get on with if unable to travel to work.

At 바카라사이트 Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, all but ¡°strictly necessary¡± lab work for projects that have been running for months has been stopped, explained Silvio Garattini, its director. ¡°It would be a waste of resources¡± to shut 바카라사이트se down, he said.

Professor Garattini, who is 91 years old, was stoical in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 disruption. ¡°Personally, I¡¯m not that impressed, because I¡¯ve been through 바카라사이트 last war,¡± he said. ¡°I?know what is a war. People had to go to 바카라사이트 front ¨C now 바카라사이트y have to work at home.¡±

But working at home is not necessarily a picnic. Where he lives, Professor Foiani said, 바카라사이트 sound of ambulance sirens was ever present in 바카라사이트 background, and he described Milan under lockdown as ¡°hell¡±.

¡°The situation is extremely depressing,¡± he said, although his work afforded him some psychological relief. ¡°We¡¯re lucky in a way: we¡¯re stimulated by our work,¡± he said, adding that those unable to work from home were less fortunate.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com