The COVID-19 Pandemic – News and Features

Researchers have developed a hybrid virus that will enable more scientists to enter the fight against the pandemic. The researchers genetically modified a mild virus by swapping one of its genes for one from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Queen Mary University of London is leading a clinical trial in 50 care homes to see how effective rapid daily COVID-19 testing is at reducing rates of infection, hospitalization and deaths.

Pathologists have discovered that damage to the hearts of COVID-19 patients is a unique pattern of cell death in scattered individual heart muscle cells.

A new study freeze-framing the shape of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein before and after fusion to host cells has captured some surprise features in the “after” shape that may have implications for vaccine and therapeutic development.

Nitric oxide treatment could be pivotal in the world’s fight against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, according to a review paper.

Cancer patients diagnosed more than 24 months ago are more likely to have a severe COVID-19 infection, according to a new study.

Multiple new studies have revealed that microplastics are present in high quantities throughout the tidal Thames and are being ingested by wildlife.

To keep the scientific community abreast of the continuous stream of new research data related to COVID-19 and cancer, on July 20, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) launched a three-day virtual COVID-19 and cancer meeting. Here, we highlight the main points discussed in the opening sessions.

Scientists and historians have pieced together the genomes of old viruses that were used as vaccination strains during and after the American Civil War ultimately leading to the eradication of smallpox.

New modeling suggests that delays in patients presenting and being referred with suspected cancer by their doctor, and resulting bottlenecks in diagnostic testing, are likely to have had a significant adverse effect on patient survival.