Virologists (Advaith Thattai)
Fact-Checked Source:
Gladstone Institutes, "Understanding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak"
On February 6, 2020, Gladstone Institutes held a live stream conference with virologists Warner Greene, Charles Chiu, and Melanie Ott to speak about the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing research in combatting the virus. Understanding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus OutbreakAnalytical Essay
Race for a Cure: Virologists Scramble to Stop The Coronavirus Spread
Thousands of lives lost each day, millions of households affected, and billions of people in panic. The novel Coronavirus has swiftly infected the globe putting millions of lives at risk. At the epicenter of this potentially fatal virus, scientists are working tirelessly to find a cure. The scientists under this spotlight are virologists. Society has shown a great dependence on the work of these scientists to relieve global tension and save countless lives. Virologists are critically important during this difficult time since they are the knowledgeable experts that, throughout history, have the capability to research, collaborate, and spread information to reduce the negative impact of deadly viruses such as COVID-19.Throughout the course of history, virologists have had a great importance in the eradication of deadly and contagious viruses. The emergence of virology began when the first virus, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), was discovered in 1892. TMV spreads between plant species helping scientists understand potential transmission to humans as well. Since then, the scientific sector of virology has been identified as a respected discipline worldwide. Prominent viruses such as polio, measles, smallpox, and mumps, that have since been eradicated, are due to the careful research performed by virologists. Virology is concerned with the study of viruses and the several diseases they cause as well as with the prevention of disease transmission within and among populations One example of a viral outbreak is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. During this era, virologists discovered an antiretroviral therapy that alleviated the symptoms of HIV/AIDS and allowed patients to live longer lives. This treatment was discovered through extensive research and clinical trials that targeted the virus. Without studying the symptoms or possible treatment avenues, this virus would have spread much greater causing millions of fatalities.
Although the duty of virologists remains important in the development of a vaccine, the relay of information regarding specific research being conducted is also a responsibility they carry. Gladstone Institutes, a biomedical research organization, held a public livestream briefing discussing the novel coronavirus presenting three virologists sharing their knowledge on current research. Melanie Ott, a senior virologist at Gladstone Institutes, says, "there is noise of a polymerase inhibitor drug, further down in development, that has very broad effectiveness on the coronavirus and is considered a very promising drug." Ott establishes hope and further strengthens their mission to develop potential cures and save the lives of millions around the world. "We are developing a detection method called DETECTR to be able to diagnose the virus within one hour," says Charles Chiu (professor in medicine and virologist for Gladstone Institutes).
Research holds a great importance in the work of virologists and scientists worldwide, however, findings alone do not constitute the development of a vaccine since collaboration is essential to be able to reduce bias and strengthen scientific findings. Structural biologist Rolf Hilgenfeld has been studying viruses in the coronavirus family for over a decade. He was successfully able to develop two drugs that carry the potential to cure the coronavirus. Hilgenfeld says, “after this virus emerged I contacted some collaborators in Wuhan, because I have two compounds, and I would like to test them against the new virus, so I am seeking collaborators who have samples of the virus” (Cyranoski 2020). Similarly, The New York Times interviewed several research labs including Dr. Nevan Krogan, director of the quantitative biosciences institute, who says “you have 30 scientists on a Zoom call — it’s the most exhausting, amazing thing,” (Zimmer, 2020) as he describes his work alongside several other scientists on a virtual meeting platform. Regardless of how difficult or tiring these collaborations may be, these examples truly show the importance of scientists and virologists working with one another.
In light of global pandemics such as COVID-19, virologists are vital for the amelioration of public health. The expertise of virologists, as presented by Gladstone Institutes, effectively conveys current research being conducted as well as the dependence society has on potential COVID-19 treatments. Scientists such as Dr. Krogan and Rolf Hilgenfeld express the importance of collaboration for the success of their research efforts. With countless lives depending on such a vaccine, virologists are working tirelessly with one another to provide hope, security, and stability for the future of mankind.
References
[Gladstone Institutes]. (2020, February 6). Understanding the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAFj-sp-SYs
The Gladstone Institutes presents three notable virologists: Charles Chiu, Melanie Ott, and Warner Greene. This video was streamed through a live stream on YouTube and discussed COVID-19 including its background, the possible symptoms, timeline of the coronavirus, worldwide patient statistics, other viruses in the coronavirus family, how to detect COVID-19, and what treatments virologists are developing. The virologists mentioned how antibodies and drugs used for MERS and SARS are being studied in clinical trials for patients with COVID-19. Additionally, they mentioned the drugs being developed at the moment specifically for the coronavirus. This source provides excellent evidence for the virologist perspective since all the aspects of virology are elaborated upon including the study of COVID-19, historical significance, and ongoing coronavirus treatment research. Three different virologists provide their own insight into the research being conducted while also sharing the knowledge that is already known.Zimmer, C. (2020, March). Hundreds of scientists scramble to find a coronavirus treatment. The New York Times 4A.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/science/coronavirus-treatment.html
This source shows perspectives from scientists/virologists from three separate institutions conducting research regarding drugs that target the coronavirus. Zimmer demonstrates this perspective since the journalist quotes each researcher then describes what work is being performed. Researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and Pasteur Institute in Paris were interviewed to explain how scientists are quickly shifting their focus from previous research to test drugs to combat COVID-19. This article also provides insight about how these researchers have made COVID-19 a priority and the drastic change of the pace in which they perform research. Nevan Krogan of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute explained how they have working around the clock with heavy collaboration with scientists to focus on the coronavirus.Cyranoski, D. (2020). This scientist hopes to test coronavirus drugs on animals in locked-down Wuhan. Nature,577(7792), 607–607. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-00190-6 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00190-6
The main purpose of this source is to show the collaboration amongst Hilgenfeld and scientists in Wuhan, China. This source underlines the importance of scientists working alongside researchers globally in order to share information and develop a cure. Rolf Hilgenfeld is a scientist from the University of Lübeck in Germany and is looking to travel to Wuhan, China to test his compounds on coronavirus samples. Hilgenfeld has studied the coronavirus family since the SARS outbreak in 2002. In this source, he is asked questions about his plans of collaboration with scientists in Wuhan. Some questions include, why are you visiting China, at what stage of development are your compounds, and how can you develop drugs that target coronaviruses.
