The Wuhan Institute of Virology's vital role in fighting COVID-19
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E-mail Science and Technology Daily, May 14, 2020
Well-organized research and development teams
Science and Technology Daily: At present, how many teams at the WIV are carrying out scientific research into COVID-19? What exactly are they doing?
Guan Wuxiang: According to the development of the epidemic and the tasks being undertaken, the Institute organized over 120 top researchers from different subfields into 12 scientific research teams. They are mainly responsible for carrying out pathogenic testing (about 20 personnel), virus monitoring (about 20 personnel), drug screening (17 personnel) and other work. In addition, more than 40 people from six support teams were organized to provide assistance for the scientific research work. The national virus resource database is responsible for the collection and standardization of COVID-19 samples; the biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory and biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) laboratory are mainly responsible for the normal operation of the laboratories and the guarantee of the scientific researchers' safety. Meanwhile, the analysis and testing center and the experimental animal center are responsible for the analysis and testing of large instruments and the protection of the safety of laboratory animals, respectively.
Science and Technology Daily: What does a typical work day consist of for the scientific researchers?
Guan Wuxiang: Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, the researchers at the WIV have been fighting on the frontlines against the epidemic. They volunteered to forgo the Spring Festival holiday, overcame all kinds of personal difficulties, and devoted themselves to researching COVID-19.
The lab's researchers work shifts lasting around five to six hours, during which they are unable to eat, drink or use the toilet. Taking into account the time spent on preparation and data processing, they work an average of around 10 to 12 hours a day. In order to efficiently utilize the research machinery, multiple teams take turns to enter the BSL-3 labs in the Xiaohongshan and Zhengdian Scientific Park to carry out research. The team responsible for pathogen detection, which has a large number of samples to work on, is divided into two groups that take turns to work in the BSL-3 and BSL-2 labs.
Hearing that our COVID-19 pathogen detection team didn't have enough researchers to conduct detection of so many samples, many of the Institute's young CPC members volunteered to take part in pathogen testing.
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