A group of specialists from different public research centers came together to develop tools for the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of COVID-19. They aim to produce and purify a protein that is part of the virus envelope, a key input that can be used for various purposes. They are in the instance in which they need to perform functionality and efficacy tests and from FUNDACEN donations are made available to support them.

How to collaborate?

DEBIT / CREDIT CARD: by clicking on this link at DonarOnline.org.

BANK TRANSFER: in this link you will find the necessary information.

FROM ABROAD: by clicking on this HelpArgentina link you will be able to make your donation through different means and have the possibility of making a tax deduction for the USA.

Crédito imagen: Paula Bassi

The arrival of the pandemic launched a series of projects aimed at preventing, treating and diagnosing COVID-19. A few days after the confinement began, a group of scientists from different specialties began exchanging information on what was known until then about the immunogenic proteins of the coronavirus and wondering where they could provide concrete tools to combat it.

The group of researchers in biology, biochemistry and biotechnology of the Milstein Institute, the department of Biological Chemistry and the department of Physiology, Molecular and Cell Biology of the Faculty of Exact Sciences (UBA), the Institute of Biological Chemistry and Physicochemistry of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry (UBA) and UTN Haedo transformed this academic exchange with the intention of starting up to contribute to the construction of concrete contributions. To achieve this, the key was the specific knowledge of the working group that decided to focus on the production of a protein that is part of the coronavirus envelope (SARS-CoV-2), called Spike, and of a domain called RBD, which is a small part of that protein.

Today, this joint work continues to bear fruit “We already have purified proteins and we need to do functionality tests such as the efficacy of being recognized by convalescent sera or that of generating an immune response in mice. Also increasing the amount that we can produce to supply them to those who are in a position to manufacture detection kits or vaccines … ”says Alejandro Nadra, CONICET researcher and professor at the UBA Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences.

But working in this context entails particular difficulties and the speed to dispose of funds is one of them, donations have the capacity to respond to the urgency that the hour demands and therefore they have had great value in the progress of this project ” Donations have been essential to move the work forward, although we initially made reagents and equipment available in the laboratories, it was necessary to purchase specific reagents such as the purchase of SARS-Cov-2 protein genes and supplies to purify them, ”says Nadra.

From FUNDACEN, contributions of 1.25 million pesos were channeled for Covid-19 projects and we want to continue doing so. If you are interested in making a contribution, you can do so by card, transfer or from outside the country. Thank you for your collaboration!