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Identifying diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies
Study of the biology of Covid-19 and its related pathology in a reconstituted human respiratory epithelium model
Characterization of the biology of SARS-CoV-2
The aim of Dr. Terrier and the VirPath team at the International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI) is to generate new data on the biology of SARS-CoV-21 to identify the biomarkers for prognosis and/or diagnosis and future anti-viral strategies.
In order to characterize the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and its related pathology, Dr. Terrier and the CIRI team are studying the following:
- on the one hand, the infection’s impact on the physiology of the reconstituted human respiratory epithelium,
- on the other hand, the cellular responses to the infection on the molecular genetic scale.
1Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2
An experimental pre-clinical model
To allows this work to take place, Olivier Terrier and his colleagues have developed an infection model for SARS-CoV-2 in a reconstituted human respiratory epithelium model. This experimental pre-clinical model enables the assessment of treatments in conditions closest to the physiology of the respiratory tract. The respiratory epithelium’s functions include pulmonary ventilation, defense and conditioning of inhaled air; it plays a central role in the early stages of the infection.
Medication research
The team at CIRI has been working since mid-January 2020. It has managed to isolate several strains of SARS-CoV-2 using samples from the first cases in France, hospitalized at Bichat hospital in Paris. The team started a program to identify medications that are already authorized on the market and that could be used for their anti-viral properties. The team has been involved in the pre-clinical evaluation of several candidate medications that are now in the clinical trial phase.
How the Air Liquide Foundation is participating
The Air Liquide Foundation is assisting with the acquisition of a fluorescent microscope, reagents and consumables.
PROJECT IDENTITY
- Project initiator: International Center for Infectiology Research (CIRI), Virology and human Pathology laboratory - VirPath, Claude Bernard Lyon University
- Localisation: Lyon, France
- Years of support: 2020
