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COVID-19 Research

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In early February 2020, UC San Diego Health began receiving patients with a novel coronavirus infection who had been transported in quarantine by the federal government from Wuhan, China to the nearby Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. 

The virus and the disease didn’t even have names yet, but within a month, UC San Diego scientists were already doing what they do best—collaborating to learn more about the virus called SARS-CoV-2 and quickly translating their findings to help prevent and treat what we now call COVID-19. 

In many cases, labs pivoted the focus of their research seemingly overnight, coordinating efforts remotely after California’s stay-at-home order went into effect. The articles below describe some of their efforts.

Research by Topic

How COVID-19 affects body and mind

Kids With MIS-C Mount Normal T Cell Response to COVID-19

Human Mini-Lungs Grown in Lab Dishes are Closest Yet to Real Thing

Young, Healthy Woman Suffers Brain Inflammation after Mild COVID-19 Infection

3D 'Assembloid' Shows How SARS-CoV-2 Infects Brain Cells 

How SARS-CoV-2 Hijacks Human Cells to Evade Immune System 

Human Lung and Brain Organoids Respond Differently to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Lab Tests 

Genetics May Play Role in Determining Immunity to COVID-19 

Existing Heart Failure Drug May Treat Potential COVID-19 Long-Hauler Symptom 

A Detailed Look at How SARS-CoV-2 Interacts with Lung Cells 

Study: COVID-19 Infection Combined with Blood Clots Worsen Patient Outcomes 

New Studies Investigate How COVID-19 May Impact Breast Milk and Pregnancy 

Loss of Smell and Taste Validated as COVID-19 Symptoms 

Loss of Smell Associated with Milder Clinical Course in COVID-19 

In Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, a Crashing Wave of Neuropsychiatric Problems? 

How are You Doing? Researchers Hope to Measure Well-Being at Global Scale

Testing and screening

Most of UC San Diego's COVID-19 Cases Detected Early by Wastewater Screening 

SARS-CoV-2 Detectable — Though Likely Not Transmissible — on Hospital Surfaces 

Novel Coronavirus Circulated Undetected Months before First COVID-19 Cases in Wuhan, China 

Sewage-Handling Robots Help Predict COVID-19 Outbreaks in San Diego 

COVID-19 Early Detection System Tested in Schools by UC San Diego and San Diego County 

Introducing the UC San Diego Return to Learn Program 

UC San Diego Health Launches Novel Coronavirus Blood Testing to Identify Past Exposure 

Artificial Intelligence Enables Rapid COVID-19 Lung Imaging Analysis at UC San Diego Health 

Tested and Testing: UC San Diego Health Expands COVID-19 Diagnostics

Therapies

Can Ancient Botanical Therapies Help Treat COVID-19?

Same Treatment Tested for Kids with Kawasaki Disease and Rare COVID-19 Reaction

Rethinking Remdesivir 

Common Medication Used to Reduce Cholesterol Levels May Reduce COVID-19 Severity 

Common Diabetes Drug Shows Promise as Treatment for COVID-19 Lung Inflammation 

Using Ultrasound Stimulation to Reduce Inflammation in COVID-19 In-Patients 

Experimental Therapy for Parasitic Heart Disease May Also Help Stop COVID-19 

Researchers Expand Clinical Trials Investigating Convalescent Plasma Therapy for COVID-19 

Statins Reduce COVID-19 Severity, Likely by Removing Cholesterol That Virus Uses to Infect 

COVID-19 Virus Uses Heparan Sulfate to Get Inside Cells 

UC San Diego Health Launches Clinical Trial to Assess Antiviral Drug for COVID-19 

Arthritis Drug Presents Promise as Treatment for COVID-19 Pneumonia 

Clinical Trial to Investigate whether Hypertension Drug Ameliorates COVID-19 Severity 

NIH Begins Clinical Trial of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin to Treat COVID-19 

Does Blood Plasma from COVID-19 Survivors Help Patients Infected with Novel Coronavirus? 

NIH to Launch Study of Experimental Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for COVID-19

Vaccines

Study: No Serious COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects in Breastfeeding Moms, Infants

With Time and Without Masks, COVID-19 Vaccines Wane in Protection

Organ Transplant Recipients Significantly Protected by COVID-19 Vaccination 

Cross Border Effort to Vaccinate 10,000 Maquiladora Workers 

How Well do COVID-19 Vaccines Work Over the Longer Term? 

Though Risk is Minuscule, Infection after COVID-19 Vaccination is Possible 

Janssen: UC San Diego Health Joins International Clinical Trial to Test Coronavirus Vaccine 

AstraZeneca: UC San Diego Joins Second Major National Clinical Trial for Novel Coronavirus 

Moderna: National Clinical Trial Launches, Will Test Promising Vaccine Against Novel Coronavirus

Other effects of the pandemic

How Adolescents Used Drugs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AI Predicts How Patients with Viral Infections, Including COVID-19, Will Fare

Introducing COVID19questions.org

How SARS-CoV-2 Went from Single Cases to Overwhelming Continents

Researchers See an Increase in Fraudulent COVID-19 Posts on Social Media

 

Podcast

 

Photo Gallery

  • Tocilizumab Actemra

    Clinical trials at UC San Diego Health and elsewhere will assess whether tocilizumab can treat COVID-19 pneumonia.

  • David at Pride

    David Pride, MD, PhD, director of the Clinical Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, and team developed UC San Diego Health’s robust COVID-19 testing capabilities. Credit: UC San Diego Health.

  • Remdesivir Getty

    UC San Diego researchers are conducting a clinical trial to determine if remdesivir, an investigational antiviral drug, may be a safe and effective agent against the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

  • rana25hc

    UC San Diego researchers have found that SARS-CoV-2 infection (green, left) is inhibited when cells are treated with a natural product that removes cell membrane cholesterol (right).

  • sars-cov-2-SEM4-niaid-rml

    The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as viewed by scanning electron microscopy. Credit: NIAID/NIH

  • sars-cov-2-TEM5-niaid-rml

    The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as viewed by transmission electron microscopy. Credit: NIAID/NIH

  • sars-cov-2-SEM6-niaid-rml

    The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as viewed by scanning electron microscopy. Credit: NIAID/NIH

  • sars-cov-2-TEM7-niaid-rml

    The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as viewed by transmission electron microscopy. Credit: NIAID/NIH