Forty years with coronaviruses

Weiss, Susan R.

The latest outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has paralyzed the world, and the scientific community is mobilized. My laboratory has recently begun to lend our expertise to investigations of SARS-CoV-2, both in our own work on virus-host interactions and in collaboration with others on diverse topics from diagnostics to antivirals. Moreover, it is gratifying that a number of people who trained with me are contributing to the effort to fight this virus, including Scott Hughes (New York City Office of Safety and Emergency Preparedness & Response) and Kristine Rose (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations) as well as several others carrying out bench research on SARS-CoV-2. Hopefully all the knowledge we have from the previous coronaviruses will accelerate the discovery of antivirals and vaccine development, as well as the source of the virus and its ancestral parent. Hopefully this time we can learn enough to prevent or quickly combat any future outbreaks. Perhaps ironically, the XV International Nidovirus Symposium (formerly Coronavirus) scheduled for May 2020 has been postponed for a year due to SARS-CoV-2. We eagerly await the next face-to-face gathering of the ever-growing coronavirus research family.