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).

Vaccine Rollout

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine rollout began in Kenya in early March 2021. The Kenyan site PI for the UNM activities, Professor Collins Ouma, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Maseno University, is leading the charge by demonstrating the importance of being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2.

vaccine_kenya

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
COVID-19 global pandemic planning: Presence of SARS-CoV-2 Fomites in a University Hospital Setting

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.