RESEARCHERS AT Trinity College Dublin have been gifted almost €5 million to aid their search into coronavirus treatments.
In what is one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by Irish researchers, scientists in Trinity are partnering with colleagues at the University of Limerick and University College Dublin to understand, treat and prevent the novel coronavirus.
According to RTÉ News, the grant will allow researchers to question why the virus affects some people far more than others and how the human immune system can be boosted to protect itself against the virus.
Anti-inflammatory treatments will be developed to help those suffering from the virus, and research into Covid-19 antibodies will be undertaken to help develop a permanent vaccine.
The €4.8 million grant is being funded by the taxpayer, along with Science Foundation Ireland and a contribution from Allied Irish Bank.
The grant is expected to create an additional 22 jobs for some of the world's brightest researchers, with the Irish universities collaborating with researchers in the USA, the Netherlands, France, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.
Announcing the grant, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, said "Science and research have never been more important as the world faces a global pandemic".
"We still have so much more to learn about this virus and this partnership will be key to addressing some of the key questions."
