South Florida scientists searching for breakthrough in coronavirus fight

As coronavirus cases increasing around the world, right here in South Florida, the race is on to develop a vaccine. The world’s leading virus researchers call our area home. Kevin Ozebek takes us into their laboratories in this evening's 7 Investigates.

In these labs, don’t even consider shaking hands. With the scientists here, its elbow bumps only, because at once, they cannot afford to urge sick.

Scientists can't then focus on coronavirus to support people because, yeah, we're under stress. At Scripps Research Campus in Jupiter, Hyeryun Choe and her partner, Michael Farzan, are experts on virus infection. All scientists are really hard working. We're highly motivated in an exceptionally unmotivated way.

They and lots of other scientists dropped what they were doing to specialize in fighting the coronavirus. Testing is underway on what they call engineered antibodies. They’re man-made proteins that potentially could boost our system to higher defend against the coronavirus.

The pressure is on to search out a breakthrough fast.

A month ago, this was a motivating intellectual problem, ‘Oh, there’s a replacement virus to check,’ but it’s here. It’s in our state, it’s in our country.”

With many Americans already infected, Scripps scientists are digging through their vault of 14,000 drugs already approved for human consumption. The hope is one in all them could ease coronavirus symptoms.

Some researchers zero in on a protein that lies on top of the virus. There’s a protein on the virus whose job is to maneuver the virus into your cells. That protein is the most vital target for a vaccine. Scripps Research laboratories currently have around 100 scientists doing work relating to the coronavirus. Most of them are chemists. Others are biologists. To search out a vaccine, they assert it's crucial their fields close.

Making vaccines requires many alternative disciplines. Everything we do is mixed. Biochemistry, the concept of biochemistry was quite invented at Scripps Research.

Because these are the most effective minds within the best-equipped labs, the burden of the planet is now on these researchers. They work day and night. They merely come back to sleep and are available back. They couldn’t be prouder of the people that are working like sin here. But during this line of labor, it’s not an attempt that counts. It’s formulating vaccines, drugs, and coverings that employment when the planet needs it the foremost.