7. Combating COVID-19

Lab Rat Chat - Episode 07 with Dr. Mark Slifka, Professor at Oregon Health and Science University
 
Follow us on Twitter! Facebook! Instagram!
https://twitter.com/thelabratchat
https://www.facebook.com/labratchat
https://www.instagram.com/thelabratchat

$100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway! Simply rate and review the podcast to be entered to win one of FIVE $100 Amazon gift cards!

In this seventh episode of Lab Rat Chat, Dr. Mark Slifka from Oregon Health and Science University talks to us about his research involving developing antibody tests for detecting COVID-19.

Check out the video version of this episode on YouTube (link below)! Be sure to comment and let us know if you want to see more of this in the future! And yes, I'm recording from my basement, which is one of the only, actually, it is the only, somewhat quiet place in my house.

Video version of the episode - https://youtu.be/ArmVEja-AD0

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Dr. Slifka’s journey through his education and career leading to his current position at Oregon Health and Science University.
• Serological (antibody) tests for COVID-19 detection in people.
• Why developing these serological tests to be highly accurate is so important to help our country, and our entire world, move past this COVID-19 pandemic.
• The general role of animals in vaccine development.
• Potential treatment options for those suffering from COVID-19.

Notable quotes:

“We were the first study to demonstrate that immunity can be maintained for up to 75 years after a single vaccination against smallpox.”

“A virus like measles is very very contagious, far more contagious than COVID-19, far more contagious than flu”

“If we got herd immunity in the range of 50-60%, then there’s a good chance that the herd immunity itself would reduce that reproductive number to less than one and the virus would burn itself out”

Resources & Links:

• Americans for Medical Progress (https://www.amprogress.org/) 
• AMP's COVID-19 Resources (https://www.amprogress.org/covid-19-resources/)
• PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (https://olaw.nih.gov/policies-laws/phs-policy.htm)  
• Animal Welfare Act (https://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/animal-welfare-act) 

All Lab Rat Chat episodes are edited by Audionauts: https://audionauts.pro/