COVID-19 Global Health Research

In late February 2020, the Center for Global Health began concerted efforts to address the rapid global spread of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Research Projects

Our COVID-19 research projects include:

Decontamination of personal protective equipment (PPE) for reuse by frontline healthcare providers:
- Experimental Biology and Medicine: COVID-19 global pandemic planning: Decontamination and reuse processes for N95 respirators
Technical and Advisory Support:
- UNM Digital Repository: UNM Global Health COVID-19 Briefings
- UNM Global Health COVID-19 Briefing Participants
- JMIR preprint: Creation of a comprehensive COVID-19 daily news and medical literature briefing to inform healthcare and policy in New Mexico
Comparative effectiveness studies of COVID-19 therapeutics:
- OHDSI network study in Lancet Rheumatology: Risk of hydroxychloroquine alone and in combination with azithromycin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a multinational, retrospective study
- OHDSI network study medRxiv preprint: Renin-angiotensin system blockers and susceptibility to COVID-19: a multinational open science cohort study
Development of therapeutics for COVID-19:
- ACS Pharmacolology Translational Sciences: Virtual and In Vitro Antiviral Screening Revive Therapeutic Drugs for COVID-19
Molecular-based approaches for identifying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity and spread
Determination of potential SARS-CoV-2 spreading in hospital settings
Investigating the impact of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 on clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the gut epithelium

Partnerships

Scientists with UNM’s Global Health team collaborate with experts and partners in New Mexico and around the globe to study COVID-19, a pandemic that has exerted tremendous morbidity and mortality.

New Mexico Medical Advisory Team (MAT): Advising the State of New Mexico on COVID-19 for the healthcare response through the UNM Global Health COVID-19 Briefings.
Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI): Collaboration in the international effort to assess the safety and effectiveness of treatments for COVID-19.
National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C): National effort to consolidate electronic health records for patients tested for COVID-19 within the US within a central repository as a research resource.
N95 Respirator Reprocessing: Creating solutions for the decontamination and safe reuse of PPE to protect our frontline healthcare personnel.