Around the globe, the pandemic of Covid-19 has ignited a large number of collaborative efforts aiming to contribute to society’s challenge to diagnose and treat the disease. In Stockholm, several projects are underway, a brief update is published here.
The universities in Stockholm all have a strong focus on various aspects of the pandemic and continuously update their websites with new information.
- Karolinska Institutet Covid-19 Hub
- KTH research and initiatives on the new corona virus
- Stockholms universitet
Testing wastewater to detect waves of Covid-19 infectionsPandemic outbreaks can come in several waves. A group of scientists, among them researchers from KTH and SciLifeLab, will keep track of the Covid-19 developments by testing wastewater.
Human Cell Atlas research on Covid-19The HCA community, in partnership with disease consortia, is committed to contributing our scientific expertise to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. They analyse existing data to get insights into the biology of the disease.
The Human Protein Atlas in the fightThe Human Protein Atlas (HPA) consortium is committed to aid in the fight against the health consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. The program involves both efforts to increase the knowledge about the human host proteins’ that interact with SARS-CoV-2, and efforts to develop diagnostic tools and therapeutic drugs to combat the pandemic.
Antibody test for Covid-19 from KTH and SciLifeLabA study of 500 employees at Danderyd Hospital could be a breakthrough for a new Swedish antibody test for covid-19. Preliminary results show that the number of employees at Danderyd Hospital with antibodies against Covid-19 is significantly larger than the 2-3 percent that a previous Chinese study stated. Behind the test is a team from KTH and SciLifeLab.
DNA testing for corona may soon become cheaperA research lab at KTH is now organizing parts of its activities for research on patient-related diagnoses. The goal is to develop a gene-based technology on a one-time electronic sampling strip for sampling for the new corona virus.
Corona test results in a couple of hours – faster results with new technologyScientists at SciLifeLab hope to be able to quickly contribute to an increased number of virus tests in the community. Coronate test results may soon be picked up by several days. Research groups at SciLifeLab collaborate with Region Stockholm to create more effective virus testing.
New mapping shows which cells SARS-CoV-2 can infectResearchers have identified which cells in the body can infect the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The mapping can provide clues to possible transmission paths as well as types of drugs that can be effective against the infection. The results are presented by an international research group with Swedish researchers at SciLifeLab affiliated with Stockholm University, KI and KTH.
Mathematical models predict the spread of infectionUsing mathematical models, Tom Britton, professor of mathematics at Stockholm University, can calculate how fast the corona virus is likely to spread. What controls the answer is called the reproduction number R, which is the number of individuals that a typical infected person on average infects at the beginning of the epidemic.
On the hunt for a Covid-19 treatmentImmunologist Anna-Lena Spetz is leading the “Fight–nCoV” project at Stockholm University. Her team has together with researchers from Germany, Denmark and France been granted 2.8 million euros from the EU to develop an antiviral treatment for Covid-19. One of the goals is to develop a nasal spray to reduce viral levels in mucous membranes.