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In a Midtown Magazine feature titled “Triangle Hospitals Combat COVID-19,” several UNC-Chapel Hill research projects were mentioned as important players in our fight against the virus.


Here’s an excerpt from a recent Midtown Magazine article about the enhanced safety procedures, cutting-edge technology, and pioneering research on the front lines of the pandemic at Triangle academic medical centers:

“Triangle medical experts and scientists are learning more about the novel coronavirus every day. UNC School of Medicine researchers Aravinda de Silva, PhD, and Prem Lakshmanane, PhD, along with their colleagues, developed a COVID-19 blood test that pinpoints human antibodies specific to a particular part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. UNC Medical Center is also collecting plasma from COVID-19 survivors to treat its patients with COVID-19, and conducts research to learn about antibodies as therapy.

Melissa Miller, PhD, a professor at the UNC School of Medicine and director of both the clinical molecular microbiology and clinical microbiology laboratories, was successful in identifying the virus’ unique genetic sequence, and developed a COVID-19 diagnostic test that the FDA approved in March. UNC’s McClendon Clinical Laboratories are now running about 2,000 tests a day and are able to get results to patients within hours. Ralph Baric, PhD, at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, is also leading a team of researchers in developing new treatments and potential vaccines.

Olafur Palsson, PsyD, a professor of medicine at UNC School of Medicine, led a study investigating the emotional and mental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. adult population and published his findings at pandemicimpactreport.com.”

Read the entire article here.