Five years ago the nation and the world shut down to battle an unparalleled pandemic. The coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), COVID-19 pandemic killed thousands and exposed weaknesses in our nation and the world’s preparedness for a global pandemic. This is especially concerning because it is widely believed the COVID pandemic was not an isolated incident, as experts predict factors like.
In 2020, the Hackensack Meridian Health’s Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) was at the forefront of research into COVID testing and treatments. Less than a year after its founding in 2019, which brought together world-class researchers in infectious disease and cancer from institutions across the NY Metro region under one roof, the CDI played a vital role in the COVID pandemic, than the test being used by the federal government. The test saved lives, by allowing people to isolate themselves from COVID positive patients sooner. CDI continued to innovate throughout the pandemic as the virus evolved, .
Then as the pandemic continued on, the CDI garnered a hugebringing together world-class giants of academia and pharma (Rockefeller University, Merck, etc.) to break down barriers that normally slow innovation. Normally it takes 10 years to develop a single promising drug candidate before it reaches clinical trials. But MAVDA has produced three promising drug candidates in just two years, with more soon to come.
With fear that bird flu (H5N1) could be the world’s next pandemic the CDI is once again taking proactive steps to monitor and mitigate the potential risk to public health. Researchers at CDI have developed the capacity to rapidly sequence and test for the virus, including emerging mutations. This advanced testing is being deployed within HMH hospitals, when patients present with influenza symptoms and testing finds it is not one of the common seasonal flu strains. This sequencing allows for greater understanding and tracking of the avian flu and its ongoing mutations.
Led by David Perlin, Ph.D., a world expert in infectious disease, the CDI has put Hackensack Meridian Health at the forefront of preparation for the unforeseen, by setting an example for how health care networks can more nimbly respond to evolving threats.
Perlin and his team at CDI are available for interviews that address how they learned from the pandemic of 2020, to prepare for the pandemics of the future.
Media Contacts:
Jessica Nussman
551-237-0984
Seth Augenstein
908-447-4705
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