Researchers from the University of Portsmouth are being deployed to the front line in the race to understand how coronavirus spreads.
A team of researchers from the Faculty of Science and Health at the University of Portsmouth, led by Dr Sam Robson from the Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI), are working as part of the national effort for virus surveillance through the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium.
As the virus moves from person to person, it can change slightly, acting as a kind of fingerprint for tracing transmission. The study will sequence the virus from patients testing positive for COVID-19 to quickly determine the precise version of the virus causing infection, which can be used to track how it is spreading throughout the UK. The samples have been taken from patients across the region, which has seen a significant number of COVID-19 cases.
This is a strategic attempt to further understand the virus, and help to track, predict and ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19 globally.
The University of Portsmouth has committed £40,000 of funds to help with the work. In addition, the team is part of a national consortium that aims to learn more about the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Government recently announced that £20 million has been invested into the consortium to study COVID-19. Expert groups from across the country are collaborating with the world renowned Wellcome Sanger Institute, one of the most advanced centres for genome data analysis.
Dr Robson’s team, will analyse the genetic code of the virus and will be able to track as it changes and mutates as it spreads across the country. It will also provide information on whether or not outbreaks are due to introductions from outside or ongoing transmission within the community, the effects of Public Health responses such as social distancing, and provide significant resources in the development of potential treatments and vaccines
The UK is one of the world’s leading destinations for genomics research and development, and I am confident that our best minds, working as part of this consortium, will make vital breakthroughs to help us tackle this disease.
Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance said, "Genomic sequencing will help us understand COVID-19 and its spread. It can also help guide treatments in the future and see the impact of interventions. The UK is one of the world’s leading destinations for genomics research and development, and I am confident that our best minds, working as part of this consortium, will make vital breakthroughs to help us tackle this disease."
The researchers will be looking for distinct mutations and lineage of the virus that may have developed as the pandemic has evolved. Particular attention will be paid to clusters of cases in hospitals, care homes and the community.
We are very fortunate at the University of Portsmouth to have the research expertise and equipment that we can redeploy to help in our understanding of the spread of this pandemic.
Dr Robson said: “This is a strategic attempt to further understand the virus, and help to track, predict and ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19 globally. Understanding how the virus is changing over time will allow us to understand how it is adapting and spreading, and we will be looking at the impact that this can have on the patients themselves. Genomic data resources such as these will also help scientists identify potential targets for treating the disease."
Professor Sherria Hoskins, Executive Dean, Faculty of Science and Health, University of Portsmouth, said: “We are very fortunate at the University of Portsmouth to have the research expertise and equipment that we can redeploy to help in our understanding of the spread of this pandemic. I am very proud of our researchers who are so willing to take on these new roles and relocate to our local hospital to analyse hundreds of patient viral samples. These key data will feed into a national effort to improve the outcome of this disease and will be crucial to the development of a robust vaccine programme."