United in the fight against COVID-19
The COVID-19 global pandemic is a health emergency unprecedented for generations.
QIMR scientists have sprung into action to develop a wide raft of research projects to leverage the Institute’s expertise not only in infectious diseases, but also chronic diseases and cancer research to focus on developing much needed treatments and rapid diagnostic tools for COVID-19. QIMR Berghofer scientists are working to fast track vital coronavirus research as part of a worldwide effort to understand the disease. This research includes:
- laboratory screening of existing and potential new drugs to treat COVID-19
- developing a test to detect who has immunity to the virus
- understanding why some patients become severely sick while others develop only mild symptoms
- working to understand the virus’s effect on the lungs and respiratory system
- investigating the immune response to COVID-19 in cancer patients
- trying to understand the genetics of how the human body responds to COVID-19
Research Officer, Daniel Rawle, is part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists working at the forefront of the research effort in SARS-CoV-2 in the PC3 Lab at the Institute.
Daniel carries out his daily research wearing full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which can be hot and uncomfortable.
Fortunately, he is used to the challenges of a PC3 lab environment, carrying out chikungunya virus research in the Inflammation Biology Group, headed by Professor Andreas Suhrbier.
Daniel is very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to new knowledge of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – to inform potential treatments and test COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
“It is a privilege and potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity to work on a virus causing a current global pandemic. It has been a great experience following the research and watching the information being built from the ground up in real time, and contributing to this knowledge is exciting,” Daniel said.