Scientists In Boston Drop Ebola Research, For Now, To Focus on Coronavirus
Original article from WBUR by , 2020
Boston University announced last week that some scientists at their National Emerging Infectious Disease Lab (NEIDL) will temporarily suspend their work on Ebola to begin studying SARS-CoV-2, better known as the coronavirus.
Virologist Robert Davey is leading the effort. Next week, Davey and his colleagues will begin work in a BSL-4 lab — the kind with scientists in spacesuits — screening compounds that might help patients with COVID-19.
WBUR spoke to Davey about what his team will be doing, and what they hope to find. The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
What are you going to do with the coronavirus at the NEIDL that’s different from what other labs are doing?
The NEIDL was built to be a high containment lab in one of the best academic cities in the country. We have a lot of experience working at BSL-4, so I think we can do things pretty efficiently.