It is clear that the ways in which SARS-CoV-2 interacts with our immune system are complex and have huge implications for disease outcome. Learning more about the immunology of the virus can help us fight COVID-19 and develop better diagnostics, treatments and vaccines.
The consortium's research is divided into five key areas, each of which tackle different aspects of the virus' immunological features. These themes are:
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Primary immunity: Why are some people's immune systems better able to fight off the virus?
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Protective immunity: What parts of the immune system are involved in generating a protective response against COVID-19 and how long does this immunity last?
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Immunopathology: How does the immune system respond to SARS-CoV-2 on a molecular and cellular level and what happens when the immune system overreacts?
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Cross-reactive coronavirus immunity: Does immunity to previous infection with seasonal coronaviruses (which cause the common cold) alter a person's outcome with SARS-CoV-2?
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Immune evasion: How does SARS-CoV-2 'hide from' the immune system and how can this be tackled?