Former Bexhill High School student working to battle coronavirus

A student from Bexhill is working with scientists from universities around the world to help understand how coronavirus (Covid-19) grows and spreads.
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Daniel Carey, a former pupil at Bexhill High School (now Bexhill Academy), is studying for his PhD in biosciences and structural biology at Canterbury Christ Church University.

He is working with academics and other universities to generate a computer model to help better the understanding of the virus gripping the world.

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The model will look at the molecular structure of the SARS-CoV2 virus spike protein of Covid-19, which allows the virus to bind on human cells found in the lung.

Daniel Carey. Photo by Katie Rogers Photography (www.katierogersphotography.com) SUS-200105-134427001Daniel Carey. Photo by Katie Rogers Photography (www.katierogersphotography.com) SUS-200105-134427001
Daniel Carey. Photo by Katie Rogers Photography (www.katierogersphotography.com) SUS-200105-134427001

In collaboration with University of Texas and Professor Max Crispin, from the University of Southampton, Christ Church bioscience academics have been simulating missing parts and key sugar groups in the overall structure of the Cov2 spike protein.

This simulation allows scientists to see how the protein and sugars move around at the atomic level and provide key details on the biology of the virus and its infection ability.

Last month the University of Texas created the first 3D atomic scale map of this part of the viral spike protein that attaches to and infects human cells, which was published in the journal Science.

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Three-dimensional atomic scale maps enable researchers to analyse and hopefully design and make vaccines and antiviral drugs.

The Christ Church team has also been working with Dr Samit Kundu, from Imperial College London, to map viral mutations in the spike protein in an attempt to understand the effects of these changes at the atomic level.

Daniel and Dr Kristofer Leslie, senior lecturer in the School of Human and Life Sciences, have been working on the model since January.

Daniel said: “Viruses like SARS, MERS from the early 2000s and SARS COV2, which cause the symptoms seen in Covid-19, share common attributes.

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“By exploiting their commonality, new novel drugs, antivirals and vaccines become possible. My coming research intends to follow this principle.”

Dr Leslie said: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency and we must work together to understand this virus.

“In the scientific community it has been heartening to witness the free sharing of data and our simulations are a visual representation of what such collaborations can achieve.

“Studying the glycobiology (the study of the structure) and the dynamics of this, and other viruses, is a key element in our understanding of the biology of such pathogens.”

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