SBIR Phase I: A knowledge base and drug repurposing platform for COVID-19

小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是创建一个软件平台，以促进识别可用于其他疾病（如COVID-19）的现有药物。 首先，确定FDA批准的可以帮助COVID-19患者的药物有望挽救生命。此外，这还可以防止大规模隔离事件延长或重复发生的经济后果。最后，包括SARS-CoV-2和其他相关病毒数据的流感样病毒药物发现平台的可用性将增加国家网络基础设施，并将在下一次出现新病毒时做出更好的反应。拟议项目将开发一个原型平台，包括：i）最先进的数据分析方法，ii）全面的知识库，以及iii）与目前在抗击COVID-19方面所采用的大多数其他途径互补的方法。该方法将侧重于利用转录组学和其他组学数据，重点关注宿主的免疫反应。 该系统将能够有效地研究免疫系统的急性反应等问题，使减轻和/或避免细胞因子风暴的方法成为可能。 该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to create a software platform to facilitate the identification of existing drugs that can be re-purposed for other diseases, such as COVID-19. First, identifying FDA-approved drugs that could help COVID-19 patients is expected to save lives. Furthermore, this can prevent the economic consequences of extended or repeated mass quarantine episodes. Finally, the availability of a drug discovery platform for flu-like viruses that includes data from SARS-CoV-2 and other related viruses will add to the national cyberinfrastructure and will allow a better response at the next occurrence of a novel virus. The proposed project will develop a prototype platform to include: i) state-of-the-art data analysis methods, ii) a comprehensive knowledge base, and iii) an approach complementary to most other avenues currently pursued in the fight against COVID-19. The approach will focus on leveraging transcriptomics and other omics data focusing on the host’s immune response. This system will enable efficient research into issues such as the acute reaction of the immune systems, enabling approaches to mitigate and/or avoid a cytokine storm. This provides important information complementary to development of antiviral medications or vaccines, important for a future pandemic regardless of the virus strain.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.