McMaster doctor helps research team isolate COVID-19 virus

A team of researchers from McMaster University, Sunnybrook and the University of Toronto says they have isolated the virus responsible for the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.

The group worked together to culture the virus from two clinical specimens in a containment facility.

The team included Dr. Arinjay Banerjee, NSERC post-doctoral fellow at McMaster University, Dr. Samira Mubareka, microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Sunnybrook and Dr. Rob Kozak, clinical microbiologist at Sunnybrook.

Banerjee says he knows the collaboration won’t stop there.

“Now that we have isolated the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we can share this with other researchers and continue this teamwork,” said Banerjee in a news release. “The more viruses that are made available in this way, the more we can learn, collaborate and share.”

The isolated virus could help researchers in Canada and across the world develop better diagnostic testing, treatments, and vaccines. It could also provide a better understanding of the virus’s biology, evolution, and clinical shedding.

“We need key tools to develop solutions to this pandemic. While the immediate response is crucial, longer-term solutions come from essential research into this novel virus,” said Mubareka.