Houston Methodist finds multiple cases of significant coronavirus mutations, including Brazil strain
Infectious disease pathologists have sequenced more than 20,000 genomes of SARS-CoV-2 virus
Newswise HOUSTON-(March 2, 2021) – Houston Methodist discovered 28 cases of coronavirus variants in its latest batches of virus genomes sequenced from patients with positive COVID-19 tests, including what might be the state’s first confirmation of four cases of the Brazil variant known as P.1. Houston is the first city in the U.S. to have all the major variants documented by genome sequencing.
“There is evidence to indicate that the Brazil P.1 variant may spread faster and be resistant to certain vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies – much like the South Africa variant known as B.1.351 – and may still be able to cause disease in some people who are inoculated with Pfizer or Moderna vaccines,” said James M. Musser, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pathology and Geno
Researchers Unveil Detailed Genome of Invasive Malaria Mosquito
New ‘gold standard’ reference genome reveals thousands of new genes vital for targeting pathogen transmission and immunity
Adult female Anopheles stephensi mosquito.
Newswise Despite the broad notoriety of sharks, snakes, scorpions and other formidable creatures, mosquitoes remain the deadliest animal on the planet… by far. Mosquito-transmitted malaria remains the number one worldwide killer among vector-borne diseases, claiming more than 400,000 human lives in 2019.
In order to engineer advanced forms of defense against malaria transmission, including targeted CRISPR and gene drive-based strategies, scientists require intricate knowledge of the genomes of vector mosquitoes.
Mahul Chakraborty a project scientist at the University of California, Irvine, working with colleagues at the Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS) at UC San Diego and India, and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biote
Through the Ride Health platform, a study coordinator can request rides on behalf of participants. (Ride Health)
Access to private transportation, or lack thereof, has long been a barrier to participation in clinical trials. And COVID-19 isn’t making things easier, with public health guidelines discouraging the use of public transport and ride-hailing services setting up policies against passengers with COVID-19 symptoms.
So, how are institutions running COVID-19 trials getting patients in for site visits? New York-based Ride Health is on the job.
The company is partnering with ACTIV-2, a study backed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) testing treatments for COVID-19, and the NIH-founded COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network (CoVPN), the “harmonizer” network for the five vaccine trials backed by Operation Warp Speed. It will provide transportation to and from study sites for participants through its network of COVID-19-equipped providers. That means all drivers