SARS-C0V-2 pathogenesis, immune responses, and treatment: from macaques to humans
Researchers from Emory School of Medicine and Yerkes National Primate Research Center received a $150,000 seed grant to take a cross-scales approach to uncover insights to help in the care of COVID-19 patients. The award is from the Emory basic science initiative From Molecules and Pathogens to Populations and Pandemics.
The project will leverage a novel model of COVID-19 infection to characterize the immune response to the virus; define the main anatomical sites and kinetics of viral replication and evolution; and test strategies targeting the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 that could be directly translatable to the clinic.
Research will take a cross-scales approach, from cellular and molecular immunology to whole-host analysis. Simultaneously, non-human primate data will be coupled with data generated from human specimens to understand intra-host and population-level viral evolution. The integrated results will be used to general insights to inform the care of people with COVID-19 infections.
Investigators for the project include Mirko Paiardini (associate professor) from Yerkes National Primate Research Center and the School of Medicine and Raymond Schinazi (professor) and Anne Piantadosi (assistant professor) from the School of Medicine.