The COVID-19 pandemic and research shutdown: staying safe and productive
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The COVID-19 pandemic and research shutdown: staying safe and productive M. Bishr Omary, … , Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr., Kathleen W. Scotto J Clin Invest. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI138646. Viewpoint In-Press Preview COVID-19 This viewpoint addresses the major impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on biomedical research, the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic for research-intensive institutions, and what investigators can do to maintain some level of research activity while keeping their coworkers and trainees safe and engaged. Find the latest version: https://jci.me/138646/pdf
The COVID-19 pandemic and research shutdown: staying safe and productive
M. Bishr Omary1#, Jeetendra Eswaraka2, S. David Kimball2, Prabhas V. Moghe3, Reynold A. Panettieri, Jr.4,
Kathleen W. Scotto5
Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine1, Office of Research and Economic Development2,
Department of Biomedical Engineering3, Institute for Translational Medicine and Science4, and Robert
Wood Johnson Medical School5; Rutgers University, 679 Hoes Lane West, Piscataway, NJ 08854
#Correspondence should be addressed to: bishr.omary@rutgers.edu
Conflict of Interest: SDK has stock in Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, and Merck as part
of a 401k; RAP consults with AstraZeneca with more than $10,000 in renumeration, and has grant
funding from AstraZeneca, MedImmune, Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Equillium,
Genentech, OncoArendi, and Metera. The remaining authors have no conflicts to declare.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has caused severe
disease outcomes and widespread infections not seen in terms of its case fatality rate and
global economic impact since the 1918-1919 Spanish flu; the latter leading to 675,000 deaths in
the United States (US) (50 million worldwide) (1). The US currently has the largest number of
SARS-CoV-2 infections in the world with tremendous health, economic, and social ramifications,
including closing of schools, businesses, and all public gatherings in order to maximize social
distancing and prevent virus spread. Here we address the major impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on biomedical research, the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic for
research-intensive institutions (Fig.1A), and what investigators can do to maintain some level of
research activity while keeping their coworkers and trainees safe and engaged (Fig.1B).
Biomedical research operations across US institutions
In February 2020, the potential impact of COVID-19 in the US started to manifest as the case
trajectory accelerated in Italy. Universities began to implement emergency operation plans,
which rapidly escalated as SARS-CoV-2 began its exponential spread. Driven by both the
imperative for social distancing and individual state executive orders, many research
institutions have severely reduced onsite research to activities deemed essential (Supplemental
Table 1). At Rutgers University, we instituted policies similar to other major research
institutions. The three principles that informed our decisions are: (i) non-critical research and
research-related activities must be performed remotely, (ii) strict adherence to social
distancing, and (iii) new projects which require in-person presence are not permitted, excluding
all COVID-19-related basic and clinical research, which are permitted and encouraged. ‘Dry’
laboratory research is carried out remotely unless specific dispensation is warranted, and active
therapeutic clinical trials remain ongoing. Research activities that are deemed critical are
permitted, with one designated ‘critical laboratory member’ permitted onsite at a time, with a
possible rotation system if essential. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, but not
undergraduate students, can be named critical personnel but only by mutual agreement
between trainees and mentors.
1While research unrelated to COVID-19 has slowed and remote work has placed significant
constraints on the efficiency of operations, research on COVID-19 has exploded with energy
and urgency. University researchers published and deposited in the Protein Data Bank the first
structure of the COVID-19 virus main protease (2) only weeks after the disease erupted in
China. Universities have created internal funding mechanisms for coronavirus research (e.g.,
Pennsylvania State University funded 17 proposals with $1.2M by 3/27/2020), and investigators
quickly moved to deliver solutions to the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) crisis. Many
laboratories have pivoted their research efforts to respond to the healthcare crisis. Some
programs, like Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (3), have set up high throughput
COVID-19 detection facilities to test up to 10,000 samples daily. Engineers at the University of
Wisconsin collaborated with local industry to design and provide open-source plans for
manufacturing face shields (4). The power of basic biomedical research to continue delivering
solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic are exemplified by Cepheid’s Emergency Use Authorization
for a 45-minute point-of-care (POC) test (5), and Abbott Laboratories’ announcement of a 15-
minute POC test (6). The challenge of quickly implementing these discoveries and products in
the fight against COVID-19 remains a logistical and political one, requiring universities to work
closely with private and government agencies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted research administration. The urgency for high
quality and rapid turnover of COVID-19-related studies from the IRB, IACUC, COI, biosafety, and
contracting functions in our institution and others (7) has transformed the workings of these
key regulatory functions. The potential for repurposing marketed drugs to treat COVID-19 has
been well publicized, with the hope for cures stretching beyond scientifically validated data. In
particular, hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir are each undergoing a number of well-designed
clinical trials (8) which are needed to accurately assess efficacy. In addition, scientific arguments
are being put forward for a public-private partnership in preparing for the next possible
coronavirus pandemic (9).
Impact of COVID-19 on research involving animal models
Research with animal models has been severely disrupted across the country. While the scope
of the pandemic is unprecedented, most of the accredited institutions have benefited from the
existence of emergency preparedness plans (Supplemental Table2) and have reacted quickly to
the challenge. Institutions have taken a phased approach to handling the crisis with the main
goal of safety of the workers, reducing the animal numbers, and supporting “critical” research
activities. Steps that have been taken include stopping new animal orders, surgeries, and new
experiments, but allowing time to complete ongoing studies. Restrictions have been placed on
breeding beyond that required to maintain rare genetic lines. Researchers have been
encouraged to utilize cryopreservation to preserve rodent strains. Changes to standard
operating procedures to include longer cage change intervals based on performance standards
and reuse of PPE have been implemented. Securing the supply chain to ensure adequate food,
bedding, enrichment, and chemicals for cage wash and disinfection are essential, and most
vendors and suppliers of these functions have been able to meet the needs of the institutions.
Animal care personnel have been classified as “essential personnel” and are utilizing split
schedules, staggered shifts, and restricted hours in the vivarium to maintain social distancing
2needs and keep personnel safe. Enhanced sanitation in the common areas at the start and end
of each shift is key to ensuring personnel safety. Communication on a timely manner between
the animal care staff and research personnel is also critical to ensure smooth operation.
How can we mobilize our efforts toward COVID-19-related research?
In health care crises, baseline biometric measurements of an affected population are critical to
truly determine the impact of a disaster on health. Lessons learned from previous health
disasters, such as the Maconda Oil Spill, Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Sandy, for which such
baseline measurements were unattainable, profoundly limited our research efforts. To gather
baseline biometrics, an organization must nimbly leverage current clinical research assets and
personnel to be deployed within hours or days. Platforms exist that can be mobilized quickly such
as Hubs for Centers for Translational Science (CTSA) and National Cancer Institute (NCI)
designated Centers. The CTSA and NCI-designated Hubs uniquely embrace a team-science
approach and infrastructure to perform high quality research in streamlined and harmonized
manners. The regulatory components of such Hubs quickly engage IRBs and institutional
procurement services to approve protocols and acquire the required materials and services to
conduct research. For example, the New Jersey Alliance for Clinical and Translational Science
(Rutgers CTSA Hub) conceptualized, obtained regulatory approval and initiated recruitment
within 12 days for a prospective, longitudinal study of healthcare workers exposed to SAR-CoV-2
in 750 participants. This study will quickly provide incidence and prevalence data in a vulnerable
healthcare workforce. In tandem, the research team will perform appropriately powered
randomized interventional controlled trials. Such emergent research programs can only be
successful with extramural support. Accordingly, The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response
Supplemental Appropriations Act signed into law March 6, 2020 (10) provides (through 2024)
$8.3 billion of which $836 million is directed to NIH, $61 million to FDA, $950 million to CDC, and
$2 billion for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. NIH and CDC have
already announced several Request for Applications (Supplemental Table 3). Although the
appropriations will undoubtedly aid in performing quality and impactful research at a time of
crisis, the initial clinical research, protocol generation and regulatory efforts must occur nimbly
with limited current institutional and extramural support. Approaches to deploy federal and state
extramural support quickly to gather baseline biometrics will assure improved health outcomes
for Americans devastated by health crises.
How can research personnel be safe and productive?
While fully grasping the gravity of the pandemic, major frustrations of researchers include
feeling unproductive and unable to advance potentially exciting discoveries, and being
homebound and less active. If there is any silver lining, it’s knowing that our nation will
overcome the impasse while doing the right thing to prevent spread of infection. It has been
gratifying to see how investigators and trainees have embraced the challenge in
complementary ways (Fig.1B). Communication remains effective via various video-
teleconferencing modalities, albeit not entirely replacing the benefits of face-to-face meetings.
Clinical research not involving patient contact can be maintained remotely and as can many
patient encounters.
3Several ways to maintain research staff engagement, while working remotely, have been
presented (11). There is more time now than ever to plan and write grants, write that long-
contemplated review article, and submit papers even if they don’t have the biologic mechanism
completely worked out. We may need to compromise on the target journal in order to maintain
research momentum and fulfill our trainee needs. The next generation of researchers will carry
this crisis with them for their entire careers and will be shaped by the environment and
opportunities we create for them today. Preparing applications for postdoctoral [e.g., K-type
(12) or society/foundation awards] and predoctoral career development awards is important to
consider (albeit regardless of COVID-19). Virtual lab meetings, research seminars and ‘chalk
talks’ with colleagues can be readily arranged, with additional potential contact time with lab
members via assigned journal clubs. There are also tremendous funding opportunities in
COVID-19-related research (Supplemental Table 3); hence, looking for collaborations outside
our comfort zone can be beneficial on several levels. Although virologists are best suited to
work on SARS-CoV-2, this is also the ideal time to engage (and vice versa) immunologists,
computational, modeling, and artificial intelligence experts, chemists, drug developers,
engineers, non-infectious disease clinical investigators, and intensivists, among other
disciplines.
It is also time to spend with family and friends. Each day over the past many weeks, the media
has reported on creative ways to celebrate those special events – birthdays, anniversaries,
weddings, births. This human connection is critical to our physical, mental and professional
well-being. This crisis will end, and we will emerge ready to embrace a brighter future.
References: (all links confirmed April 2, 2020)
1) https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html
2) https://www.rcsb.org/structure/6LU7
3) https://www.dailytargum.com/article/2020/04/rutgers-researchers-develop-test-for-
coronavirus-to-expand-access-in-nj
4) https://www.delve.com/insights/face-shield-designs-to-fill-the-gap
5) https://academichealth.rutgers.edu/news/2020-03-21-rutgers-new-jersey-medical-school-
research-team-participates-first-external
6) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-27/abbott-launches-5-minute-covid-
19-test-for-use-almost-anywhere
7) https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/covid19-clinical-trials-launch-at-u-of-m/89-
e81f214f-2df5-4e09-beca-46d4c94c741c
8) https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=COVID-19
9) Burley SK. (2020). Hoe to help the free market fight coronavirus. Nature doi:
10.1038/d41586-020-00888-7 [Epub ahead of print]
10) https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6074
11) https://research.medicine.umich.edu/potential-activities-research-staff-during-assignment-
remote-work
12) Conte ML, Omary MB. (2018). NIH career development awards: Conversion to research
grants and regional distribution. J Clin Invest 128:5187-5190.
4Acknowledgment: The authors are grateful to the assistance of Dr. Marika Dunn for collecting
some of the presented information, and Neil Grant for preparing the figure and tables. This
Viewpoint salutes all the healthcare workers, who are at the frontlines of the COVID-19
pandemic, helping patients and their families.
Figure and table legends:
Figure 1: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on research institutions and researchers. (A)
COVID-19 poses new institutional responsibilities and challenges, including the need to ensure
continuity of ongoing clinical research, increase COVID-19 related-research, ensure safety of
employees and students, enforce social distancing measures, ensure continuing the education
of undergraduates and graduate students, restrict non-essential, non-COVID-19 research
activities, and maintain required animal care resources. (B) Investigators have employed
multiple approaches to cope with onsite lab restrictions and shut downs. Researchers have
maintained critical research activities, continued to submit publications, balanced work and
family responsibilities, initiated or collaborated on COVID-19 related research, ensured limited
onsite lab staffing, engaged in remote research opportunities, maintained regular and frequent
communication with trainees and coworkers, and continued to plan and write research grants.
Supplemental Table 1: COVID-19-triggered research institutional polices. The table lists (left
column) a group of representative research-intensive universities (listed in alphabetical order)
from the Eastern, Midwest, and Western regions of the United States. A few research institutes
are also included. The websites (middle column) that describe the COVID-19-related research
policy measures are included in addition to text removed almost verbatim from the websites
(right column).
Supplemental Table 2: An example of animal operations continuity plan during the COVID-19
pandemic. The table lists 4 phases of emergency levels, with corresponding guidance that
defines the emergency level (e.g. state or federal), and animal operation responses.
Supplemental Table 3: Examples of COVID-19 funding opportunities. This is a small sampling
and the list is likely to grow significantly.
5Figure 1
6Supplemental Table 1: COVID-19-triggered research institutional polices
Organization Website Research policy overview
Universities
Columbia University https://research.columbia.edu/ Essential research applies both to research on COVID-19
covid-19-novel-coronavirus- and its downstream effects and to laboratory work that
frequently-asked-questions- must be done in support of ongoing clinical trials. Further,
relating-research#/text-14638 “essential” means either that the research is critical to the
health of the public or that valuable resources, such as cell
lines, animal lines, instrumentation requiring regular
attention, etc., cannot be shut down are kept going at a
basal level.
Essential functions include the maintenance
of equipment, laboratory resources, critical animal
resources, and cell lines.
Cornell University https://www.cornell.edu/coro Critical activities are those necessary to maintain
navirus/statements- laboratory viability such as:
news/20200315-research.cfm • Care for animals, plants and unique or expensive cell
cultures or biological specimens,
• Preservation of unique reagents and other unique or
expensive materials, and
• Maintaining equipment (e.g. liquid nitrogen and liquid
helium systems, and shared computational clusters)
that cannot be maintained remotely or shut down
without significant cost or consequences to the
research effort.
Duke University https://research.duke.edu/covi Only hands-on activity essential to preserve the future
d-19-laboratory-based- viability of research programs will be permitted in most
research-curtailed laboratories, effective 3/17/2020. All non-laboratory
research in Duke facilities that requires direct person-to-
person contact must also cease at this time.
This directive does not apply to essential clinical research
studies involving human subjects, clinical research that
may be done remotely or laboratories actively supporting
direct ongoing clinical care (addressed in a separate
communication). In addition, research work directed
towards vaccination against, treatment, or diagnosis of
COVID-19 is exempt from this directive, but must be
approved in advance by the Dean.
Each wind-down plan should have identified no more than
three key individuals who have been assigned to maintain
essential experiments/activities, and those that need
special attention to avoid catastrophic financial and data
loss. To the extent possible, these individuals should only
be in the laboratory for the time it takes to secure the
7continuity of the research program. All research group
meetings must be conducted virtually.
Massachusetts https://covid19.mit.edu/scalin Critical activity is defined based upon local criteria, but
Institute of g-back-on-campus-research some suggestions include:
Technology • Lab work where discontinuation would generate
significant data and sample loss,
• Work to maintain critical equipment and safe standby
mode in laboratories,
• Work to maintain critical samples and animal
populations, and
• Work that directly relates to COVID-19 that has a
timeline for deployment that could address the current
crisis.
Northwestern https://www.research.northwe “Essential” research can continue on campus. Such work is
University stern.edu/ramp-down-memo/ defined as:
• COVID-19 research that has the potential to mitigate
the pandemic’s spread,
• Certain medical research that, if paused, would harm
its research participants,
• Procedures to maintain critical research infrastructure.
For example: animal care, irreplaceable cell lines,
laboratory equipment that requires gas or cryogenic
monitoring, etc., and
• Activities that if discontinued would result in significant
degradation of safety and/or the loss of time and data.
Stanford University https://healthalerts.stanford.e Essential on-campus research functions include the
du/2020/03/17/updated- following:
guidance-for-researchers-in- • Completing shutdown procedures.
laboratories/ • Conducting critical maintenance procedures that
require regular attention from a person to maintain
laboratory viability. For example, providing animal
support, maintaining shared computational
equipment, and maintaining equipment that requires
gas or cryogen monitoring/service, such as deep-
storage freezers, electron microscopes, mass
spectrometers, and incubators.
• Certain clinical research; please see separate guidance
from the School of Medicine.
• COVID-19 research that has the potential to mitigate
the spread of the pandemic. Please consult your local
building staff about needed support as well as indicate
the necessary activities as critical on your Lab Level
Continuity Plan (see below).
For experimental laboratories, personnel who perform
critical procedures, processes or equipment management
that require regular personnel attention to maintain
laboratory viability (e.g. liquid nitrogen tank filling, animal
8support, maintaining shared computational equipment)
will still be able to access their labs. No others should be
going to their laboratory until further guidance is issued.
These individuals should already be identified on each
lab’s Lab Level Continuity Plan. Labs that are closing down
for now may find this shutdown checklist helpful.
University of http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/ Undergraduate and graduate students cannot be required
California – San Diego Notices/2020/2020-3-24- to work in person on campus during the stay-at-home
1.html order; this specifically includes research and instructional
duties.
Research settings will strictly apply staff limits, social
distancing and sanitation requirements. Specifically,
students are strongly discouraged from coming to their
research sites; there should be no more than one person
per site at any given time (e.g., use shifts when necessary),
social distancing should be rigorously adhered to, and
sanitation efforts (limiting unneeded touching of
equipment, cleaning high touch spaces such as door knobs,
light switches, and keyboards) should be fully
implemented. No student (undergraduate, graduate or
postdoctoral scholar) should be required to come to the
lab for their work, and flexibility should be afforded to the
completion of the research projects. Challenges to this
policy should be directed to deans and the Vice Chancellor
for Research for final management.
University of https://research.ucsf.edu/impo Each laboratory (or neighboring group of laboratories)
California – San rtant-directive-ucsf- identify 1-2 key personnel who will be responsible for this
Francisco researchers-cease-research- essential ongoing maintenance. Laboratories with large
activities numbers of animals are allowed to name as many as 3-4
key personnel. When selecting key personnel, consider
those whose commute does not depend on public
transportation. (clarification: if the PI listed as a key
personnel member, the PI is included as part of these
counts.)
When determining the appropriate size of your lab’s
“skeleton crew,” please also consider any equipment that
might require gas or cryogen monitoring/service, such as
deep-storage freezers, electron microscopes, mass
spectrometers, and incubators. Keep in mind that any
potentially hazardous operation will require at least two
trained and qualified persons be present. By the afternoon
of March 16, a Lab Ramp-Down Checklist will be available
at www.ehs.ucsf.edu. In mouse facilities, breeding should
be reduced to the minimum possible; no increases in cage
counts will be permitted and all researchers should plan
for additional reductions of cage counts in the future. Labs
using aquatic or avian species are expected to maintain
basic animal care and husbandry operations, and labs with
9USDA-covered animals that require specialized lab care or
intensive husbandry operations are expected to continue
providing this care. For all key personnel, it has been
mandated that everyone practice good hygiene and social
distancing, in part by coordinating with others to minimize
time on campus and to avoid being in the lab or animal
facilities at the same time as others.
Exceptions to these requirements will be made for studies
of COVID-19 that have the potential to mitigate the spread
of the pandemic.
University of Michigan https://research.umich.edu/co Critical Research Activities:
vid-19 • Directly relate to COVID-19 and have a timeline for
deployment that could address the current
pandemic,
• Ensure the continued viability of critical samples
and/or animal populations that are not readily
available from non-U-M entities,
• Keep critical equipment and infrastructure safe;
• If discontinued, would pose a safety hazard, or
• Include onsite research efforts where the nature of
the work is essential to avoiding catastrophic loss
to equipment or critical samples and/or data.
University of https://research.umn.edu/covi UMN researchers are working from home unless there is
Minnesota (UMN) d-19-guidance- an extraordinary and college-recognized need to be on-
research/overview#wfh campus or onsite that aligns with these criteria:
• COVID-19 research that has the potential to
mitigate the pandemic’s spread,
• Certain biomedical/clinical research that, if
paused, would harm its research participants,
• Procedures to maintain critical research
infrastructure. For example: animal care,
irreplaceable cell lines, laboratory equipment that
requires gas or cryogenic monitoring, etc., and
• Activities that, if discontinued, would result in
significant degradation of safety.
University of https://www.svcresearch.pitt.e Essential Activities. Access to research buildings is
Pittsburgh du/pitt-researchers/covid-19- permitted for the following activities:
updates-and-resources • research on COVID-19,
• work for which a stop or delay could cause harm to
research participants’ well-being,
• work for which a stop or delay could cause harm to
animal populations or other vital living collections,
• work whose suspension would cause a critical loss of
unique or irreplaceable materials or data, or
• management of equipment, instruments, or research
infrastructure where the lack of maintenance could
create damage or endanger safety.
10University of https://covid19.wisc.edu/resea Examples of essential work include, but are not limited to:
Wisconsin-Madison rch/ • research that has the potential to address the COVID-19
crisis,
• human-subjects research that would endanger research
participant lives if stopped, and
• projects in which termination would lead to loss of long-
running experimental data, critical time-series or time-
sensitive data, loss of equipment, or to the loss of life of
critical research-related organisms.
Vanderbilt University https://www.vanderbilt.edu/co Beginning March 18, access to labs will only be available
ronavirus/2020/03/15/mar-15- for essential personnel who perform critical procedures,
2020-on-campus-research- processes or equipment management that requires regular
laboratories-ramping-down/ personnel attention to maintain laboratory viability (e.g.
liquid nitrogen tank filling, maintaining shared
computational equipment). PIs should immediately
identify essential research experiments that are at a
critical phase, meaning that abandoning them would cause
a major or irreversible loss in project momentum. This
high-priority work should be a limited set of the current
laboratory bench-based experimentation.
Even essential work in labs should be staggered so that
minimal laboratory personnel are present at any one time.
Institutes
National Institutes of https://www.nih.gov/news- Beginning on Monday, March 23, only mission-critical
Health Intramural events/news-releases/nih- functions within NIH research laboratories will be
Research shifts-non-mission-critical- supported. Mission-critical functions include the following:
laboratory-operations-minimal- care of research participants in NIH clinical protocols that
maintenance-phase are non-elective, research directly on COVID-19, urgent
public health research recommended by NIH scientific
leadership, work involving significant research investments
that could be lost if not continued, and protection of life,
property, and resources, including the care of research
animals. NIH will strictly limit the presence of staff in
laboratories supporting non-critical functions to focus on
maintenance. All research functions suitable for remote
work, such as data analysis, literature reviews, or drafting
and review of manuscripts, is expected to be performed
remotely.
Salk Institute https://www.salk.edu/news- •The majority of Salk staff are now working remotely. A
release/salk-minimizes-on-site- small number of personnel authorized to remain on
staff-and-takes-additional- campus are performing essential maintenance functions to
steps-around-coronavirus- protect life, safety and property.
covid-19/ • All Salk labs have taken steps to pause, delay or
terminate research, with no new research efforts initiated.
Wistar Institute https://wistar.org/covid-19- To protect the Wistar community during the current
research-update pandemic, The Wistar Institute has canceled or postponed
all public events and business travel.
11Our scientists and core facilities continue to advance
critical research while limiting onsite work and following
practices for infection prevention and social distancing
when working in the lab. Non-essential personnel are
working remotely.
12Supplemental Table 2: An example of animal operations continuity plan during the COVID-19
pandemic
Phase of Guidance Animal Operations Response
Emergency
I Notification from - Assess staffing levels, cancel discretionary absences, vacations to insure
Federal, State and maximum staffing is available.
University about - Provide “essential employee” documentation to staff and vendors.
Emergency - Contact suppliers for feed, bedding, chemicals to ensure supply for 2-3 months.
Get delivery on site if storage is available.
- Assess PPE supplies.
- Stop animal orders for USDA regulated species.
- Assess surgical needs for ongoing studies.
- Develop continuity plans for research staff performing ongoing studies
- Train research team on husbandry activities.
- Secure laboratory volunteers for assistance with animal care.
II - State or Local - All non-essential employees (billing, procurement, finance) must work from
government home.
ordinance on - Animal orders are suspended.
people and - Research Staff training is stopped or restricted.
materials - Cage change intervals reconsidered based on performance criteria.
movement - All survival surgery studies are ceased.
- Potential - Breeding for all commercially available strains is ceased, males and females are
community spread separated.
of infection - Low level breeding is permitted for in-house developed strains to maintain the
- Staffing reduces genetic phenotype.
by 25% - No “New” studies can commence.
- Researchers should identify “critical” ongoing studies.
- Conserve or reuse PPE.
- Cryopreservation of rare genetic strains is initiated.
III Staffing levels fall - Staggered or split shifts for staff
below 50% - Cease all breeding.
- Focus Animal Care staff on cage wash operations; utilize research staff to help
with cage changes.
- Restriction on research team hours in the vivarium
- Only allow “critical” studies approved by the Dean or delegate.
- No census activities will be undertaken.
IV Staffing levels - Shift to weekend schedule.
below 30% - Reduce cage changing to the minimum.
- Reduce animal capacity to less than 20%.
13Supplemental Table 3: Examples of COVID-19 funding opportunities
Sponsor Sponsor Link Description
Federal
NIH-National https://grants.nih.gov/g NOT-TR-20-011: NCATS is particularly interested in projects
Center for rants/guide/notice- focusing on the use of informatics solutions to diagnose cases
Advancing files/NOT-TR-20- and the use of CTSA-supported core resources (e.g., advanced
Translational 011.html scientific instruments, highly-specialized facilities, and regulatory
Sciences expertise) to facilitate research on COVID-19 and advance the
translation of research findings into diagnostics, therapeutics,
and vaccines.
NIH-National https://grants.nih.gov/g NOT-HL-20-757: NHLBI encourages the submission of
Heart, Lung and rants/guide/notice- applications for Administrative Supplements and Competitive
Blood Institute files/NOT-HL-20- Revisions to active NHLBI grants to support research on SARS-
(NHLBI) 757.html CoV-2 and HLB COVID-19 disease. Of particular interest are
studies that take advantage of human research or unique model
systems to study the consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Supported research is expected to inform future efforts to
diagnose, prevent, mitigate, or treat this viral infection and
associated HLB manifestations.
NIH-National https://grants.nih.gov/g NOT-AI-20-031: NIAID is particularly interested in new projects
Institute for rants/guide/notice- focusing on viral natural history, pathogenicity, transmission, as
Allergy and files/NOT-AI-20- well as projects developing medical countermeasures and
Infectious Disease 031.html suitable animal models for pre-clinical testing of vaccines and
(NIAID) therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.
NIH-National https://grants.nih.gov/g NOT-AI-20-034: NIAID is particularly interested in projects
Institute for rants/guide/notice- focusing on viral natural history, pathogenicity, transmission, as
Allergy and files/NOT-AI-20- well as projects developing medical countermeasures and
Infectious Disease 034.html suitable animal models for pre-clinical testing of vaccines and
(NIAID) therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.
NIAID is offering Competitive Revisions to active NIAID grants
addressing specific research objectives.
NIH-National https://grants.nih.gov/g NOT-GM-20-025: NIGMS will accept the submission of
Institute for rants/guide/notice- applications for Competitive Revisions to active grants to
General Medical files/NOT-GM-20- address only the following research areas of interest:
Sciences (NIGMS) 025.html • Incorporation of data related to SARS-CoV-2 into
ongoing research efforts to develop predictive models
for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and other related
infectious agents (all relevant grants).
• Repurposing or modification of diagnostic tools currently
under development to enable rapid detection of SARS-
CoV-2 infection (SBIR/STTR grants only).
• Rapid development of potential therapeutic agents for
COVID-19 (SBIR/STTR only).
Private
14Amazon Web https://aws.amaz The Amazon Web Services Diagnostic Development Initiative
Services on.com/governme (DDI) provides support for innovation in rapid and accurate
nt- patient testing for 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and other
education/nonpro diagnostic solutions to mitigate future outbreaks.
fits/disaster-
response/diagnost
ic-dev-initiative/
American Heart https://profession American Heart Association (AHA) invites cardiovascular-focused
Association Rapid al.heart.org/profe applications that will contribute to understanding the
Response Grant ssional/ResearchP cardiovascular and cerebrovascular pathogenesis, diagnosis,
rograms/UCM_50 prevention, clinical manifestations, clinical management
5867_AHA-Rapid- (including critical care management), and social behaviors which
Response-Grant- can lead to dissemination, containment, and complications of
COVID-19-and-its- COVID-19.
Cardiovascular-
Impact.jsp
C3.ai DTI https://c3dti.ai/re C3.ai DTI is soliciting Research Award proposals that catalyze
search/applying- cooperative research activities and advances in machine
ai-to-mitigate-the- learning and other AI subdisciplines, analytics, statistical
covid-19- analysis, and advanced computing research aimed at (1) the
pandemic/ current acute challenges with COVID-19 and (2) the methods for
containing and addressing pandemics more generally for longer-
term preparedness, including for future pathogens and SARS-like
viruses.
Gates/Wellcome/ https://www.gatesfoun The COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator will operate jointly as an
Mastercard dation.org/Media- initiative of the funders, drawing on expertise from inside and
COVID-19 Center/Press- outside their organizations. The Accelerator will pursue several
Therapeutics Releases/2020/03/COVI aspects of the development cycle to streamline the pathway
Accelerator D-19-Therapeutics- from candidate product to clinical assessment, use, and
Accelerator manufacturing. To identify candidate compounds, the
Accelerator will take a three-pronged approach: testing
approved drugs for activity against COVID-19, screening libraries
of thousands of compounds with confirmed safety data, and
considering new investigational compounds and monoclonal
antibodies.
Gates will review all offers of support and respond to those that
align with the priorities needed at this time.
IBM Call for Code https://callforcode.org/ Call for Code asks innovators to create practical, effective, and
Challenge challenge/ high-quality applications based on one or more IBM Cloud™
services (for example, web, mobile, data, analytics, AI, IoT, or
weather) that can have an immediate and lasting impact on
humanitarian issues. Teams of developers, data scientists,
designers, business analysts, subject matter experts, and more
are challenged to build solutions to mitigate the impact of
COVID-19 and climate change.
15LifeArc https://www.lifearc.org/ LifeArc has made available an initial £10M for the identification
funding/covid-19/covid- of therapeutics that can be rapidly deployed to treat COVID-19.
19-funding The aim is to run trials in patients during the current epidemic. It
is anticipated that applications will be for funding to repurpose
one or more drugs that are generic, already licensed, or are in
late stage development for another indication.
Russell Sage https://www.russellsage Because of the effects of COVID-19 on all facets of American life,
Foundation .org/how-to-apply the Russell Sage Foundation (RSF) is changing its immediate
priorities. RSF will only consider LOIs that satisfy at least one of
the following criteria: (a) The research is so timely and time-
sensitive that the project must start before April 1, 2021; or,
(b) the research analyzes social, political, economic, or
psychological disruptions resulting from the coronavirus crisis
that affect social and living conditions in the United States.
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