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In the midst of this crisis, universities and colleges are taking a major hit—and bracing for much worse. And, predictably, I keep seeing people on social media asking, "Why should we be funding those places now?" Here's why... (A quick THREAD of links)
"Over the last three weeks, a team of scientists, engineers and doctors at the University of Vermont have developed a new design—and built a working model—for a simple, inexpensive ventilator." https://www.uvm.edu/uvmnews/news/vermont-team-invents-emergency-ventilator
"Promising research by a University of Pittsburgh researcher looking into the SARS coronavirus nearly 20 years ago, and the MERS coronavirus six years ago, has led to a potential COVID-19 vaccine that has shown early promise in tests on mice." https://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2020/04/02/Pitt-team-makes-progress-on-possible-COVID-19-vaccine/stories/202004020135
"Johns Hopkins University announced that the FDA has approved a clinical trial letting university researches test a blood therapy for COVID-19." https://foxbaltimore.com/news/coronavirus/fda-approves-trial-for-coronavirus-therapy-at-johns-hopkins-university
"It’s possible that the new coronavirus can spread from person to person simply by talking, or even breathing, according to new guidance from the NAS...[after] consider[ing] a study posted last week by a team from the University of Nebraska Medical Center" https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2020-04-04/coronavirus-might-spread-through-talking-or-breathing
Consider just those examples. In a matter of weeks, university researchers have come to better understand the virus's behavior to slow spread, devise emergency interventions, test new immunotherapies, and start trials of a potential vaccine.
And that doesn't even consider the titanic contributions of university hospitals whose doctors, nurses, and staff make up a significant portion of our frontline health care providers.
Please share this thread—and PLEASE add your own examples of the contributions of university researchers, doctors, and engineers in fighting the pandemic.
