The COVID-19 research projects undertaken by the COI, in collaboration with different units in the Nuffield Department of Medicine and other departments in the Medical Sciences Division, have made an impactful contribution to the understanding of COVID-19 pathology and immunology.
Below are the highlights of their research:
- Understanding T cell responses to SARS-COV-2
Prof. Tao Dong and her group identified the epitopes that illicit strong T-cell responses across a range of HLA types, which helped to inform vaccine design.
- Understanding antibody responses to SARS-COV-2
Multiple studies examined antibody responses to SARS-COV-2, and the mutations in spike protein helped to campaign for the inclusion of the omicron spike in a bivalent vaccine.
- Understanding the effect of host genetics on disease severity
The study identified immune signatures and correlates of host response and advanced the development of new drugs and personalised medicine approaches in the treatment of COVID-19.
- Understanding immune responses following vaccination
Multiple studies looked into the correlates of protection against symptomatic and asymptomatic infection, which play an integral role in the development of vaccines.
- Understanding SARS-COV-2 pathogenesis
In addition to the immune responses, researchers also studied viral replication, host responses, and associated COVID-19 pathogenesis.
For more details on the research papers visit the COI Website.