Source: https://www.epi.ufl.edu/
The Emerging Pathogens Institute was formed in 2006 to bring researchers across disciplines together with the goal of better understanding and anticipating new disease-causing microorganisms that affect people, plants and animals. Much of its research is focused globally, with an eye toward what might affect the State of Florida. But for the first time, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a widespread outbreak right up to the institute's doors.
As COVID-19 spread from country to country, then crossed continents and arrived to the U.S., the EPI prepared by readying a test one of its researchers had developed years earlier for an environmental survey to detect coronaviruses in Florida bats. Having this basic research ready to be deployed in late January allowed the institute to collaborate with researchers and entities across UF's campus to offer early research-based COVID-19 testing to community members.
Since its inception, the EPI has been under the leadership of J. Glenn Morris, M.D., M.P.H & T.M. Here, he reflects on the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, what went wrong with U.S. testing efforts, how the disease spreads and manifests, and how his institute is working to better understand and mitigate the damage wrought by SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the illness known as COVID-19.
To read the full interview, click on this link.