North Carolina Policy Collaboratory distributes $29 million for COVID-19 research
July 22, 2020 The North Carolina Policy Collaboratory funded 85 projects across 14 UNC System schools, including $6.1 million for COVID-19 research at the Gillings School and $1 million allocated to each of the six historically minority-serving institutions.
Grant arms UNC-Chapel Hill with technology to accelerate COVID-19 research
July 15, 2020 The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative recently awarded a $433,000 grant to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for laboratory equipment that will accelerate research to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
New study supports remdesivir as COVID-19 treatment
July 9, 2020 Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Gilead Sciences report that remdesivir greatly inhibited SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in human lung cell cultures and also improved lung function in mice infected with the virus.
Foraker builds data-sharing relationships to improve health during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
July 7, 2020 The Academic Women’s Network selected Gillings School alumna Dr. Randi Foraker to receive their 2020 Presidential Award for exceptional service in science and medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Seven new Gillings Innovation Labs will tackle COVID-19
July 6, 2020 Exactly how does coronavirus spread in the air? What will get kids’ vaccinations back on track across the United States? How can public health practitioners work with church communities to spread accurate information about COVID-19? These are just three of the questions being explored by Gillings School researchers and their collaborators through a special COVID-19 round of Gillings Innovation Laboratory awards.
Gillings researchers identify potential strategy for rapid scale-up of COVID-19 testing
June 29, 2020 Researchers at the Gillings School have identified a possible testing model for SARS-CoV-2 that could rapidly and efficiently screen 2 to 20 times as many people as an individual molecular-based test could.
North Carolina sees highest estimates to-date in prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in 8-year-olds
June 25, 2020 The 2020 Community Report on Autism from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which includes research from Dr. Julie Daniels, has found that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder detected in 8-year-olds in North Carolina was significantly higher than the national average. It also found that the prevalence detected in 4-year-olds was lower.
UNC-Chapel Hill researchers create new type of COVID-19 antibody test
June 15, 2020 Scientists have created a test that pinpoints human antibodies specific to a unique part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The test can help document COVID-19 infections, identify asymptomatic virus infection and measure the level of immunity in individuals.
Researchers map how coronavirus infection travels through cells of nasal cavity and respiratory tract
June 2, 2020 A major study of novel coronavirus infection in human airways adds to evidence that wearing a mask is an important step toward limiting transmission of COVID-19. The lead authors of the study in the journal Cell are UNC-Chapel Hill virology expert Dr. Ralph Baric and pulmonary expert Dr. Richard Boucher.
‘Landmark’ study finds long-acting injectable drug highly effective in preventing HIV
June 1, 2020 A large-scale HIV study funded by NIAID and ViiV Healthcare halted early after cabotegravir, dosed every two months, showed higher efficacy than a daily oral pill.
