RAPID: PHYSICS OF CORONAVIRUS SARS-COV-2 SURVIVAL OUTSIDE A HOST AND IMPLICATIONS FOR SEASONAL DEPENDENCE OF COVID-19 OUTBREAKS

目前缺乏关于SARS-CoV-2病毒颗粒在各种环境条件下稳定性的信息。该项目将产生机械性的洞察力，它将估计感染颗粒的持久性，对于预测病毒传播以及告知公众健康至关重要。两名研究生将在这些实验期间进行合作。这项工作将成为这些学生毕业论文的重要组成部分。使用原子力显微镜和全息光钳测量病毒颗粒的结构极限也将使我们了解病毒包膜的稳定性，就像适用于其他被包膜的病毒一样。由SARS-CoV-2(2019年新冠状病毒)病毒引起的新冠肺炎病构成了一种急性和新型的公共卫生危机。从拟议的工作中获得的知识将立即为病毒在各种环境条件下的生存能力预测提供信息。这些测量还将建立完整和有效的工作流程，利用先进的光学捕获和原子力显微镜技术处理SARS-CoV-2粒子。如果在具有活病毒的最高生物安全环境(BL4条件)下需要进行类似的测量，所获得的技术专业知识将是有价值的。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

There is currently a lack of information on SARS-Cov-2 particle stability in varied environmental conditions. This project will create mechanistic insight which will estimate the persistence of infectious particles and is critical for predictions of viral spread as well as informing public health. Two graduate students will collaborate during these experiments. This work will form a substantial part of the graduate thesis for these students. Measurements of structural limits of viral particles using atomic force microscopy and holographic optical tweezers will also inform our general knowledge of the viral envelope stability as applied to other enveloped viruses.The COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) virus poses an acute and novel public health crisis. The knowledge gained from the proposed work will immediately inform the projections of viral survivability under various environmental conditions. The measurements will also establish complete and efficient workflow for handling SARS-CoV-2 particles with advanced optical trapping and atomic force microscopy techniques. The technical expertise gained will be valuable in case similar measurements would be required under the highest bio-safety environments (BL4 condition) with live virions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.