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Interview: Impact of COVID-19 Respiratory Illness on the Life Science Research Industry

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With the gradual improvement of the COVID-19 situation in China in the past few days, along with a worsening situation across many regions, research on vaccines and related antiviral drugs has become a key issue for most people both inside and outside the life science research industry. However, the vaccine research and development (R&D) process is long and complex, especially considering the need for drugs to undergo time-consuming clinical trials. A large number of animal models are urgently needed to verify the efficacy and safety of new compounds before human trials. As an upstream industry for vaccine and drug R&D, what kind of effects will this pandemic have on the animal model field and associated life science research? We explore this issue in-depth with our Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Marvin Ouyang.   Dr. Marvin Ouyang    Executive VP and Chief Scientific Officer, Cyagen US Inc   Dr. Marvin Ouyang has been dedicated to the development of genetically engineered rodent

Cytokine Storm: The New Perspective for COVID-19 Research

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The suicidal response of Immune system to the SARS-CoV-2   Since COVID-19 poses a significant threat to public health and also represents a challenge for antiviral drug development and administration globally, current efforts focus on prevention and control while accelerating the research on the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which has caused the outbreak of COVID-19. So far, studies on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of this illness is still growing, but there is significant anecdotal evidence of value. Most patients suffering from COVID-19 were observed with symptoms like fever, cough, and diarrhea, but also some express serious complications such as acute respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress, and septic shock. The "COVID-19 Diagnosis and Treatment Program (6th Edition)" issued by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, mentioned the clinical warning indicators for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe and critica

Researching the New Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2: Applications for Animal Models

Introduction The novel coronavirus, now officially designated as SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December of 2019. This virus has led to an outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease in 2019), which is associated with acute respiratory illness and infection, as is common for diseases caused by the coronavirus family. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Committee declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020. The international community has been quick to respond with appropriate safety measures to minimize global spread of the virus. Virologists worldwide have been ramping-up efforts to characterize the novel coronavirus – accelerated publications now becoming available on a daily basis - as researchers rush to understand its viral pathogenesis and create effective preventives and treatments. Herein, we provide a quick guide to the characterization research of SARS-CoV-

Coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 – Host Receptor-Mediated Infection Mechanisms & Potential Antiviral Treatments

Coronavirus Infection Mechanisms and Options for Antiviral Drug Research   How does coronavirus invade cells? How can we respond to it? Dr. Huang | Mar, 2 2020 At the end of 2019, a large-scale illness broke out from Wuhan, Hubei Province - a central province of China. The virus that cased this illness could enter the respiratory tract through droplets - moreover, the increasingly busy traffic conditions and travel around the holiday season made the virus spread extremely rapidly. In just over a month, the epidemic spread throughout the land of China. The viral infection can lead to an illness with symptoms including fever, difficulty breathing, impaired liver and kidney function, serious cough and pneumonia - in some severe cases, the virus can cause shock or even death.   Outline of contents: What is the reason behind this epidemic? How can pathogenic coronaviruses spread from natural hosts to humans? The Structure of Coronavirus How do coronaviruses infect host cells? What treatment

Beyond ACE2: Additional Targets of Significance for Coronavirus Research

At present, the prevention and treatment of coronavirus is the most urgent issue for scientific and medical research. In addition to the ACE2 host receptor target that is being highly focused on, what other targets deserve the attention of current coronavirus researchers? Herein, experts from Cyagen investigate the lesser-known targets that are pertinent to coronavirus research, aiming to provide some helpful references to guide scientific researchers. 1. DPP4 Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP4) belongs to the family of proline-specific serine proteases and is capable of cleaving dipeptides from the amino terminal (N-terminal). DPP4 is the most typical peptidase in this family, and it is also the third exo-peptidase that was found to be a coronavirus receptor (after ACE2 and APN). DPP4 is a multifunctional type II transmembrane glycoprotein with 766 amino acids; it exists as a homodimer on the cell surface. The dimerization of peptidase depends on the molecules’ connection between the