The researchers, who belong to a variety of research fields, work together with the bodies in the field to help the global effort against the virus
About 30 research teams from Bar-Ilan University are working around the clock on studies to deal with the corona virus. The extensive research activity is led by the president of the university, Prof. Aryeh Tsavan, and the vice president for research, Prof. Shola Michaeli, who recognized the value of interdisciplinary research that would provide an answer to all the complex aspects of dealing with the virus, from the scientific-medical aspect to the social-psychological aspect.
The researchers, who belong to a variety of research fields, work together with the bodies in the field to help the global effort against the virus.
Finding a vaccine for the corona virus, bacteria-resistant fabrics, rapid identification of the virus, mathematical models that will help to get out of quarantine, recruiting AI technology to fight the virus, the effect of the corona crisis on relationships, research on leadership in an organization that moves to work on Zoom and what happens to pregnant women during this time - these are just Some of the research they are working on at Bar-Ilan University. Our leading researchers, together with international partners and organizations operating in the field, are working to try to answer the global challenge in dealing with the corona virus.
Prof. Aryeh Tsavan, President of Bar-Ilan University: "We are proud to be partners in the national and global effort to contain the epidemic. Our researchers combine extensive knowledge in the fields of medicine and psychology, life sciences and nanotechnology, computer science, mathematics and the humanities, in order to improve diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and to plan strategies that will help get out of the crisis that changed the entire globe in one stroke."
Prof. Shulamit Michaeli, Vice President for Research at Bar-Ilan University: "All the benefits of Bar-Ilan are reflected in this crisis every day. The high research capabilities in a variety of fields, and looking at the challenge we face which is interdisciplinary, allow us to have a positive impact on dealing with the virus. I am proud of our researchers, even in a period of movement restrictions and closures, they come to their laboratories every day, in accordance with procedures of course, and work to find breakthrough solutions to problems that trouble us all."
Groundbreaking studies:
Dr. Amos Danieli from the Faculty of Engineering is currently working on a new technology, based on the combination of magnetic particles and optics. According to him, it may shorten the diagnosis time of a corona patient to only about 15 minutes.
. In Dr. Danieli's laboratory, a technology was developed for the sensitive optical detection of RNA by conjugating the RNA of the virus to a fluorescent molecule, which emits light when illuminated with a laser beam. But at low concentrations of RNA, the emitted signal is so low that existing instruments cannot detect it.
"Suppose, for example, that this entire room is the saliva solution of a corona patient," explained Dr. Danieli. "The size of the laser beam is the size of a fist and at low concentrations inside the fist there will be maybe 3-2 fluorescent molecules". Dr. Danieli added magnetic particles to the solution that stick to the fluorescent molecules. According to him, the result is the possibility of concentrating the fluorescent molecules and thus reducing the error in the measurement.
Dr. Mital Gal Tanami from the Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University in Safed is a scientist specializing in molecular virology, and she is also trying to join the global effort to eradicate the disease. Recently joined a Swedish pharmaceutical company in an attempt to find a vaccine against the virus. "I think that the more scientists contribute knowledge, the faster we will reach the long-awaited vaccine," says Dr. Gal Tanami. Her lab is currently focusing on how to repair the hepatitis C virus, a hepatitis that can cause extensive damage to the liver. Even after thirty years of research, a vaccine for the elusive virus has not yet been found. His siblings, hepatitis B and A, were given preventive vaccinations. And yet, there were breakthroughs in the treatment of hepatitis C, and some of them had Gal Tanami as a partner, in her postdoctoral work at the University of Texas or in her laboratory in Safed.
The research on one virus is sometimes also useful for the treatment of another virus, she says. "Much of the research done on Sars and Mars, the cousins of the corona virus, is used by us today. In recent weeks we have seen a process of drug repurposing, the relabeling of drugs that have been studied for other diseases. The drug remdesivir, which was used to treat Ebola, is now also used to treat corona patients.
"Science always advances us, even if it does not serve us at that moment. When we come to work on a new development in the future, we will always look back at what we have done, so that we do not start from scratch. Right now our goal is first and foremost to help and eradicate this virus, but we will publish the research results anyway, and we can always use them in the future. There is no futile research in virology."
Dr. Baruch Barzel from Bar-Ilan University offers a strategy of closing in shifts based on mathematical models: divide the population into two groups (shifts), and lead a closing in a week-by-week format, that is, each shift is active one week and goes into closing the following week. This plan, together with the isolation of the symptomatic patients and general maintenance of caution, may overcome the virus and enable a return to normal in a short time - and all this while maintaining economic activity to the extent of 50%.
What is the mathematical basis? To test the method they used the SEIR model. This is a model that follows the four different populations: healthy (Susceptible), latent patients (Exposed), symptomatic patients (Infected) and those who have already recovered (Recovered). First we calibrated the model according to the estimated parameters of the disease, and then we put it to the test - to be able to accurately predict the patient curve that has already been measured in Israel. After the model was able to accurately predict the curve, we added to it the conditions of the shift closure. At the same time, we published an official article about the method with all the technical details, to receive criticism, comments and suggestions for improvement from the scientific community, and we also published the computer code, to allow anyone to use, test and improve
Online Campus:
In addition to the research aspect, in recent weeks the management of Bar-Ilan University quickly organized and managed to transfer the teaching to an online format so that the studies and research would not be affected. Also, the management set up a digital campus, which includes a package of online services including student administration sections, the service center, extensive electronic databases through the library system. All of the above is possible thanks to a project in the framework of which the rapid installation of the ability to work from home and the dedication of the essential employees was carried out.
