For the first time, scientists can see a pandemic evolve in real time at the genetic level, revealing ‘variants of concern’ while guarding for large-scale genetic changes in COVID-19 that might occur by a process called recombination.
Mutant versions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have set off alarms worldwide. Science Director Roger Highfield talks to one of the laboratories racing to find out what these variants mean for COVID-19 transmissibility and virulence, along with the development of drugs and vaccines.
The pandemic has led to the steepest slowdown in human activity since the Second World War. Science Director, Roger Highfield, asks what this means for climate change.
The UK is the first country in the world to give temporary authorisation to the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency pandemic use.
This is a new kind of vaccine, based on RNA, and the first approved for use in humans. Roger Highfield, Science Director, talks to Dr Berkeley Phillips, UK Medical Director of Pfizer.
Artificial intelligence, AI, has solved one of the ‘grand challenges’ of biology. Roger Highfield, Science Director, talks to John Jumper, head of the DeepMind’s landmark ‘AlphaFold’ project, about what this means for the race to combat COVID-19.
Keeper of Medicine Natasha McEnroe reflects on the addition of the first vial of COVID vaccine from a mass immunisation programme to the Science Museum Group Collection.
Details of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine are published today, showing encouraging efficacy and some puzzling features. Science Director, Roger Highfield, talks to the trial’s Chief Investigator about the vaccine, trial regulation and a surprising bonus result.
Many COVID-19 drugs, vaccines and tests depend on ‘the spike’. Roger Highfield, Science Director, describes why it is now the most important protein on the planet.
Britain is planning the first human ‘challenge studies’, where people are deliberately infected with SARS-CoV-2. Roger Highfield, Science Director, explores the risks and benefits.
Lockdowns and other stringent measures have been introduced in the wake of computer predictions about the pandemic. Roger Highfield, Science Director, looks at one of most advanced COVID-19 models, and results released today from the most sophisticated analysis of how it works.
With the launch of the Decade of Health campaign, Roger Highfield, Science Director, highlights a few of the many ways the UK has helped the world live longer, happier lives.
The UK must prepare now for a potential new wave of coronavirus infections this winter that could be more serious than the first, warned a report in July. Roger Highfield, Science Director, asks one of the authors about the state of current COVID-19 preparations.