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microbiology, disease & medicine

N95 Respirators Can Be Decontaminated from SARS-CoV-2
Amy Schleunes | Apr 19, 2020 | 2 min read
Vaporized hydrogen peroxide is the most effective decontamination method for masks that had been exposed to the coronavirus in a recent study.
Trump Suspends WHO Funds, Alleges a Poor COVID-19 Response
Amy Schleunes | Apr 15, 2020 | 2 min read
President Donald Trump claims the World Health Organization failed to investigate early reports of the coronavirus, while public health experts argue that stripping the agency of its funding endangers us all.
an illustration of the coronavirus with a world map in the background
Crowdsourced Protein Simulation Exceeds Supercomputers’ Power
Shawna Williams | Apr 15, 2020 | 2 min read
Folding@Home, currently focused on deciphering the workings of SARS-CoV-2, is the first project to have exascale-level computational muscle.
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Scientists Scan for Weaknesses in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein
Chris Baraniuk | Apr 9, 2020 | 5 min read
The virus’s tool for prying open host cells is coated in a protective armor of sugar—but gaps may offer vulnerability to disruption by antibodies.
Are Mesenchymal Stem Cells a Promising Treatment for COVID-19?
Ruth Williams | Apr 9, 2020 | 5 min read
As the first clinical data become available on treating coronavirus patients with the cells, scientists are equivocal about the rationale for the intervention.
Image of the Day: Huo-Yan Air Lab
Amy Schleunes | Apr 9, 2020 | 1 min read
An inflatable biosafety laboratory may help meet the global need for testing infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
European Research Council President Resigns
Amy Schleunes | Apr 8, 2020 | 3 min read
Mauro Ferrari says the organization’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is inadequate, but ERC members claim his proposals didn’t align with the mission of the council.
Study Questions if School Closures Limit the Spread of COVID-19
Ashley Yeager | Apr 7, 2020 | 3 min read
School shutdowns might have a relatively small effect on preventing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a new meta-analysis suggests, though the preliminary data point to the need for more studies.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus May Travel in Aerosols
Amy Schleunes | Apr 3, 2020 | 2 min read
Several studies have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 might be spread through air, but not all experts are convinced.
a photo of a dog, a cat, and a ferret
Cats, Ferrets Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2: Study
Shawna Williams | Apr 2, 2020 | 2 min read
Researchers report that dogs, pigs, chickens, and ducks did not easily become infected.
Blood Pressure Meds Point the Way to Possible COVID-19 Treatment
Ashley Yeager | Apr 2, 2020 | 7 min read
There is little evidence that antihypertensive drugs worsen COVID-19, and scientists are instead exploring the idea that such medications—or their downstream effects—may actually alleviate symptoms.
Zika as Cancer Buster?
Amy Schleunes | Apr 1, 2020 | 2 min read
By infecting glioblastoma cells but not healthy brain tissue, some form of the virus could serve a therapeutic purpose.
Cells’ Response to SARS-CoV-2 Different from Flu, RSV
Abby Olena, PhD | Mar 31, 2020 | 4 min read
The host transcriptional signature elicited by the coronavirus appears to be less robust and lacks the induction of key antiviral genes.
COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Gain Enhanced Access to Supercomputers
Lisa Winter | Mar 27, 2020 | 2 min read
Federal agencies, academic institutions, and industrial partners are joining forces to combat COVID-19 using artificial intelligence.
FDA to Allow for Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 Patients
Lisa Winter | Mar 26, 2020 | 3 min read
Under emergency protocols, doctors can request to use survivors’ plasma to treat some critically ill COVID-19 patients.  
Relatively Stable SARS-CoV-2 Genome Is Good News for a Vaccine
Amy Schleunes | Mar 25, 2020 | 2 min read
The small number of genetic differences between the original strain of the novel coronavirus from Wuhan and those currently circulating in the US population indicates that a vaccine may likely offer lasting immunity.
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Chloroquine for COVID-19: Cutting Through the Hype
Chris Baraniuk | Mar 20, 2020 | 4 min read
President Donald Trump has touted the drug as a treatment but scientists still don’t know for sure that it is effective in patients. A number of clinical trials aim to find out.
Opinion: Grad Students Face Uncertainty During the Pandemic
Lila Westreich | Mar 19, 2020 | 3 min read
With mounting feelings of isolation, research projects derailed, and financial futures cast into doubt, grad students are anxious in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.
US Primate Centers Work to Protect Animals from COVID-19
Ashley Yeager | Mar 19, 2020 | 4 min read
Rhesus macaques can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, leading primate center scientists to try to prevent outbreaks in their colonies, especially as experiments on coronavirus start.
Image of the Day: How COVID-19 Spreads
Amy Schleunes and Catherine Offord | Mar 19, 2020 | 1 min read
International data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control indicates a similar pattern in reported coronavirus cases during the first 10 days after the case count passes 500.
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