Displaying items by tag: coronavirus

Members of the lab of tuberculosis researcher Andries Steyn, Ph.D., have provided crucial assistance in UAB efforts to combat COVID-19.

UAB has started its phased, gradual re-entry to campus, and leadership wants to be clear that COVID-19 safety precautions are required and will be enforced.

In a new paper, Keshav Singh, Ph.D., outlines the case for the “powerhouse of the cell” as a hideout and unwitting ally for SARS-CoV-2.

Three of the first scientists to return to campus in Phase I — plus the leader of a group that never left — share their emotions, lessons learned and 7 tips for organizing your unit’s re-entry.

Researchers from UAB’s Precision Medicine Institute have used AI to identify hundreds of potential treatments, which are now being tested through the COVID-19 research fund that the institute helped launch.

When UAB celebrated its first commencement in June 1970, the university awarded 478 diplomas to its first graduating class. Now, with a second virtual commencement planned for August, summer 2020 graduates can contribute their best campus memories to make the online ceremony just as special.

For almost all senior design teams, building a working prototype was impossible in these days of social distancing.

New microbiology faculty member Nicholas Lennemann is transforming the fluorescent virus assay he developed into a new tool against coronavirus in work supported through UAB’s urgent COVID-19 research fund.

The educational and clinical challenges presented by COVID-19 also present an opportunity to develop new technical and patient-interaction skills for students — and health professionals — using telehealth technology. 

Bioreactors built to offer new insights on lung cancer are being adapted to study coronavirus infection and test new treatments in this project supported through UAB’s urgent COVID-19 research fund.

Blazer Express bus routes crisscross the campus, and many employees rely on the buses to take them to work. UAB Transportation has implemented a strict cleaning regimen to help ensure the safety of its buses and vans and riders; however, taking public transit without precautions can introduce new risks for exposure to coronavirus.

Some simple strategies — including micro-routines, mask desensitization and compassion — can help parents and the community ease anxieties in this frightening time.

In 1977, the world’s first effective treatment for a viral disease occurred at University Hospital when Richard Whitley, M.D., and Charles Alford developed vidarabine. Now, investigators across UAB have mobilized their research interests to help us better understand and fight coronavirus.

Assistant Professor Ellen Eaton, M.D., an infectious diseases specialist, is leading the Jefferson County health department’s effort to reach special populations.

Do we need to wear masks? (Yes.) When will I know which phase I’m in? What is UAB Healthcheck? Read answers to these and other questions posed during the May 22 re-entry town hall along with more than 70 other questions that couldn’t be answered live due to time constraints.

An online platform gives UAB innovators a chance to find creative solutions to front-line challenges. Anyone can post a clinical problem — or volunteer to help solve one.

There’s just as much opportunity now for UAB students and alumni to make their next moves as there would be in more traditional times. This event will help connect them to employers and opportunities for professional growth. Regi

Virologist Kevin Harrod, Ph.D., is the institution’s resident expert on SARS viruses. His lab is handling biological validation for innovative drug-repurposing studies supported by the School of Medicine’s Urgent COVID-19 research fund.

Microbiologists Troy Randall and Frances Lund are building key proteins from several coronaviruses to study antibody cross-reactivity and other crucial questions in this project supported through UAB’s urgent COVID-19 research fund.

New services include a primary-care mental health team with a licensed psychiatrist and psychiatric nurse practitioner for telehealth appointments — all hosted through HIPAA-compliant Zoom.

The director of UAB’s doctoral program in epidemiology shares what she loves about the field and her path into the profession.

Beginning with iron lung treatments in the 1950s, UAB has long been committed to the respiratory health of its patients. That continues with its COVID Respiratory Clinic to better evaluate treatments needed for coronavirus patients.

Uncertainty can fuel scientific endeavors, leading to more and better discoveries and understanding. But what happens when the public misinterprets that uncertainty? Associate Professor Kevin McCain, Ph.D., says education, rational thinking and trust in experts can help protect citizens from being misled.

In this project supported through UAB’s urgent COVID-19 research fund, Professor Randall Davis aims to identify antibodies that block SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells — information that could guide convalescent plasma therapy and more.

In this project supported through UAB’s urgent COVID-19 research fund, Assistant Professor Benjamin Larimer, Ph.D., adapts his lab’s work on phage display — normally used to identify new cancer treatments — to overcome limitations of antibody and vaccine testing.