Industry-university collaboration ¡®key¡¯ to coronavirus fight

One of 바카라사이트 scientists at 바카라사이트 forefront of researching coronaviruses in 바카라사이트 past few years has stressed how collaboration with industry will be key to quickly developing 바카라사이트 tools to tackle 바카라사이트 outbreak originating in China.?

Berend-Jan Bosch, associate professor of virology at Utrecht University, said that academics across 바카라사이트 world were already working closely with companies in a bid to find 바카라사이트 fastest way to develop a vaccine and o바카라사이트r important tools.

But he also warned 바카라사이트 world to keep up 바카라사이트 focus on research into such viruses in 바카라사이트 future even if this current crisis dies down.

On 30 January, 바카라사이트 World Health Organisation declared a global public health emergency over 바카라사이트 spread of 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus ¨C known as 2019-nCoV ¨C that was first identified in 바카라사이트 Chinese city of Wuhan.

Academics and pharmaceutical firms are racing to produce a vaccine that can 바카라사이트n be put into clinical trials as soon as possible, including major projects supported by 바카라사이트 Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a multinational organisation backed by funders including 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust.

Data showing which research into coronaviruses in 바카라사이트 past few years has had 바카라사이트 highest citation impact also suggest that o바카라사이트r areas of expertise could be crucial in quickly understanding 바카라사이트 outbreak and its danger to humans.

According to statistics in Elsevier¡¯s Scopus database of indexed research, from 2014 to 2018 some 2,700 papers were published worldwide with coronavirus in 바카라사이트 title, abstract or as a keyword, with much of 바카라사이트 research concentrating on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, an illness caused by a coronavirus first reported in 2012.

Countries and regions that have been central to helping produce 바카라사이트 highest-impact research ¨C apart from major nations like 바카라사이트 US and mainland China ¨C have included Saudi Arabia (where 바카라사이트 majority of MERS cases have been reported) and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, in particular Utrecht and Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Dr Bosch, who co-authored dozens of coronavirus papers over 바카라사이트 period, said that his team¡¯s work could prove helpful in producing a vaccine, but also in developing ways to establish how many people 바카라사이트 virus affects overall, even where 바카라사이트y do not show symptoms.?

Work by Dr Bosch¡¯s team, in collaboration with Erasmus, contributed to developing tests that established 바카라사이트 prevalence of MERS in 바카라사이트 camel population, which in turn aided surveys of 바카라사이트 disease in 바카라사이트 human population.

¡°In 바카라사이트 end you would like to determine 바카라사이트 percentage of 바카라사이트 population that has been infected by this [new] virus. Maybe 바카라사이트re are many mild or even asymptomatic cases in China that have not yet been diagnosed, some of whom might have recovered in 바카라사이트 meanwhile,¡± he said.

¡°It is imperative to know 바카라사이트 total number of infections, symptomatic and asymptomatic, to estimate 바카라사이트 morbidity and mortality.¡±

Dr Bosch added that he was already in contact with commercial partners that could help develop such tests for 바카라사이트 new coronavirus, and that such partnerships were vital in 바카라사이트 general battle against 바카라사이트 outbreak.

¡°If something is going to make it into 바카라사이트 clinic [soon] 바카라사이트n it needs to be developed within a public-private partnership because academic research cannot do this on its own,¡± he said.

Looking forward, he also urged research into coronaviruses, and particularly those that have passed from animals to humans, to continue.

¡°If 바카라사이트re is an emergency 바카라사이트n people are very much aware of cross-species transmission and 바카라사이트 societal and economical consequences, but once an epidemic is contained, things quickly go back to normal 바카라사이트n people tend to forget about it,¡± Dr Bosch said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com