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COVID-19 Research
Since COVID-19’s appearance earlier this year, the
Hebrew University has joined research institutions
worldwide in a full-throttled, wide-ranging response to
the coronavirus pandemic. Early on, HU researchers
developed a more rapid testing regimen for the
coronavirus by developing a diagnostic method
proven to work 10 times faster than the current
standard, making it possible to scan 10,000 samples
simultaneously. Now, HU scientists are working to
develop antibodies for diagnosis, treatment, and
vaccination and investigating ways to harness the
immune system to better combat viral infection.
In order to determine the effectiveness of any
treatment, experimental models for the infection
and the disease are required, as are state-of-the-art
experimental systems and facilities that allow safe
research. To meet this urgent need, HU is currently
constructing the only civilian Biosafety Level 3 lab
(BSL3) in Israel, allowing researchers from across the
country to conduct experiments on COVID-19, safely
research other highly contagious illnesses, and help
prevent future pandemics.
The Hebrew University is in a unique position to
continue providing innovative breakthroughs to
current and future global health challenges. From
the start of the pandemic, our interdisciplinary
teams of computational scientists, cutting-edge
experimentalists, and clinicians have been working
on non-traditional approaches to treat COVID-19,
leveraging their immediate access to patients, a
newly established sample bank, and in-depth expertise
in virus biology and genomic and computational
technologies. Scientists at the Faculty of Medicine,
the Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer
Science & Engineering, and the Edmond and Lily Safra
Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) are working with
Hebrew University affiliated medical centers to meet
patient and research needs surrounding COVID-19,
and to build the infrastructure needed to help prevent
future pandemics.
While the BSL3 is under construction, HU scientists
are investigating the possible use of an existing
tuberculosis drug in limiting the spread of the
coronavirus, reviewing the effectiveness of a
cholesterol drug in lessening the deletous effects
of COVID-19, and investigating whether a lockdown
is effective in preventing the rapid spread of the
coronavirus, to name just a few of the HU team’s
pandemic-related research projects. Information about
COVID-19 is constantly changing, and HU researchers
are constantly seeking new insights and new
treatments to end the pandemic. Be sure to check
HU and COVID-19 regularly for the latest coronavirus
research news from the Hebrew University.