In the project, entitled "Coordination of research activities in the CNM to carry out an integrative response to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic in Spain", 12 different research groups from the CNM-ISCIII and it will be coordinated by Inmaculada Casas, head of the Respiratory and Flu Viruses Unit (VRP) and director of the National Flu Center of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Madrid.
This is an unprecedented cooperation in the CNM that will bring together the experience of this number of groups and ranges from virological surveillance, knowledge of the virus and the response of specific anti-SARS-CoV2 antibodies, to the development of its own technology, validation of the existing one, application of a vaccine prototype and the study of predictive biomarkers of the evolution of the disease in patients with different clinical manifestations, without forgetting the automation of different processes.
CoVID Laboratory Network
Among the objectives of the project is to establish a network of virology laboratories (RedCoVID) in the different autonomous communities in collaboration with the National Center for Epidemiology (CNE-ISCIII), taking advantage of the experience of the Network of Flu Surveillance Laboratories.
The RedCoVID will be made up of those laboratories of the Flu Surveillance Network designated by the Public Health Services of the autonomous communities. The VRP Unit will specifically be responsible for providing these laboratories with controls and other biological materials of interest, training personnel and preparing quality controls, evaluating RT-qPCR diagnostic reagents, cultivating SARS-CoV2 in BSL3 facilities, and establishing a collection of samples or biobank that may be used by the members of RedCoVID.
Transmission chains
The study also contemplates the careful analysis of the virus transmission chains through the complete sequencing of the viruses and their bioinformatic analysis. The intention is to estimate the temporal and geographical origin, the routes of diffusion and the rate of population growth of the virus and to know the infection patterns.
This work will be carried out in collaboration between the VRP units, the Genomics Unit (UG), the Bioinformatics Unit (BUISCIII) and the HIV Biology and Variability Unit (UBVIH). A sequence repository (Covid19 Repository) will be created as a genomics-based surveillance tool.
Furthermore, given the characteristics of the CNM and specifically the Virus Isolation Unit (AISVIR), an active search for coronaviruses in Iberian bats will be carried out in coordination between the VRP, UG, BUISCIII, and UBVIH units, using the biobank of "bat samples CNM "and expanding with field studies coordinated by the Doñana Biological Station (CSIC).
Infection through antibodies
The Serology Unit (SER) will be in charge of carrying out studies that will confirm the immune status, that is, whether or not there are antibodies in the population and their level of protection. For this, it is planned to carry out an investigation of the serological tests to determine their usefulness and limitations. In coordination with the Viral Biology Unit (BiVi) and the Microbial Immunology Unit (IMI), the possibility of designing a proprietary CNM technology to provide RedCoVID and the National Health System with alternatives to the commercial methods that are used is considered. They will base on the specific SARS-CoV2 viruses circulating in Spain and their specific interactions with their ACE2 cell receptor.
The antibodies produced in infections are different and an analysis of their capacity and effectiveness is required, in neutralizing the SARS-CoV2 that circulates at any time, and especially if other waves of infection occur in the fall. The SER, BiVi, IMI units together with the CNM AIDS Immunopathology Unit (UISIDA) will study and characterize the different antibodies present in the serum samples of the different population groups in Spain and which are deposited in the COVID-19 serotheque. -CNM.
A prototype vaccine
The development of systems for the management and control of patients using a prototype vaccine will be carried out by the Intrahospital Infections Unit (UIIH) in coordination with the AISVIR unit. Together with VRP and BUISCIII, the available viral sequences of interest will be the basis for considering the viruses against which to target this prototype vaccine that will be characterized in mice as an animal model.
We are not the same: predictive biomarkers of severity
The prognosis of the infection must be evaluated in order to predict the severity of an infection in a specific patient. It is extremely important to have a battery of possible predictive biomarkers associated with an immune response against SARS-CoV2. The UISIDA unit will study these possible biomarkers in blood samples and in collaboration with 2 Madrid hospitals.