COVID-19 (Coronavirus): Existing Research

The research element of this stream is a call for projects that target medical countermeasures, health service readiness, and social and policy countermeasures to COVID-19. It is led by the Health Research Board (HRB) and the Irish Research Council (IRC). The call is now closed. A total of 21 awards have been approved with funding of €3.4m through international peer review.

The innovation element of this stream is an agile and adaptive funding scheme aimed at combining the capabilities of industry and academia in the development of innovative solutions that can have a rapid demonstrable impact on the COVID-19 crisis in Ireland. It is led by Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. This element of the programme remains open to applicants.

The Innovation Call resulted in more than 180 applications to-date, with significant numbers of applications in areas of relevance to frontline healthcare, diagnostics, infection control, contact tracing and management of the mitigation measures related to social distancing and isolation. 5 awards have been approved valued at €1.7m following international review. Further approvals will be made over the coming days and weeks. The agencies are working in partnership to coordinate applications and ensure a seamless and agile review and funding process, with the progress and results from each stream shared broadly.

The awards for both elements are listed below.

• The University of Limerick (UL) has launched a study to explore how children, teenagers and their families are coping during the health crisis. The study, entitled Co-SPACE (COVID-19 Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics), will focus on those aged 4 – 18 years and their families. The researchers aim to track children and young people’s mental health throughout the COVID-19 crisis to identify what advice, support and help can actually protect their mental health.
• NUI Galway (NUIG) Health Behaviour Change Research Group at the School of Psychology are collaborating with a team of over 100 behavioural scientists from more than 20 countries around the world on the International COVID-19 Awareness and Responses Evaluation (I-CARE) Study.
• Trinity College Dublin is hosting the European Research Council-funded ‘COVID-19 in Prisons’ by the PRILA Project (Prisons: the rule of law; accountability and rights). Prisons are particularly vulnerable to infectious disease. Taking urgent steps to reduce the risks arising out of COVID-19 is also necessary in the interests of the health of the broader community.
• The University of Limerick (UL) and the University of Gloucestershire have launched a research project to understand and track the wellbeing of frontline key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers are looking for people across the UK and Ireland, that are currently deployed in frontline key worker positions, to take part in the longitudinal survey. They want to hear from anyone who is working on the frontline, from hospitals to supermarkets, to understand how the impact of being a key worker affects their wellbeing over time. An important part of the study will be to see if there are any differences between the two countries in terms of how frontline workers are coping with increased demands on their personal resources.
• Trinity College Dublin COVID-19 Immunology Project is a collaborative research project with Trinity Translational Medicine Institute supported by the Clinical Research Facility at St. James’s Hospital campus, involving scientists and immunologists working on basic and applied research and translational scientists and clinicians working with COVID-19 patients. It will include research on Developing new antibody tests, scaling up antibody testing, investigating immune response in COVID-19 patients, and designing new drugs and vaccines for COVID-19.
• University College Cork (UCC) has established an interdisciplinary COVID-19 Research team that has seen over 100 researchers across all disciplines answer a call to action. Research projects have been initiated that include the search for new treatments for COVID-19, new methods for detection of the virus, and analysis of the data and trends. The HRB Clinical Research facility (CRF-C) at UCC has already initiated a registry of COVID-19 patients as part of an international cohort study.
• Dublin City University (DCU) School of Nursing is carrying out a study on “Adjusting to COVID-19: Predictive and protective factors” which aims to capture the impact of the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, it aims to identify useful coping skills and habits for managing wellbeing, as well as potential predictors for problematic mental health during a pandemic. Findings will be used to identify useful strategies for dealing with the anxiety and uncertainty associated with a pandemic.
• University College Cork is involved in a multi-jurisdictional project looking at country legislative responses to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic as it relates to insolvency and restructuring law, as well as tangential areas such as employment and finance. The University is developing research to explore children’s rights and COVID-19 in a policy context.
• University College Cork has re-targeted research to COVID-19 due to its predominant impact on the elderly health and people living with dementia – relevant research is in the area of Alzheimer’s/ dementia and related brain degenerative disease of ageing.
• University College Cork’s Prof Ursula Kilkelly, School of Law, together with Prof Laura Lundy Queens University Belfast, are developing research to explore children’s rights and COVID-19 in a policy context.
• Maynooth University in partnership with the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) and several other education representative bodies has undertaken extensive research of over 2,800 primary school leaders to assess their response to the closure of primary schools due to COVID-19. The research had two main objectives. Firstly, it aimed to identify good practices that can be shared and replicated around the country, in order to help schools that found it particularly challenging to adapt to the change prompted by school closures. Secondly, it aimed to establish what ‘scaffolding’ is required for schools to continue to work effectively during the temporary school closure.
• Maynooth University School of Psychology is conducting a study on loneliness and social isolation during social distancing.
• University College Dublin (UCD) Conway Institute Genomics Core recently worked in collaboration with the UCD National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) to obtain the genomes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the first COVID-19 patient samples in Ireland. By comparing the genetic data (or genomes) of COVID-19 samples that emerge in different parts of the world, scientists can determine the relationships between different strains of the virus and track the spread of disease outbreaks. Genome sequences can also be used to develop diagnostic tests and identify stable regions for vaccine design.
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is conducting a project to determine COVID-19 infection rates in asymptomatic healthcare workers. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contracting COVID-19 infection. In the absence of symptoms, they are unlikely to be tested and may inadvertently spread infection to other patients and staff. RCSI’s study will involve testing for COVID-19 infection in consenting asymptomatic HCWs using exhaled breath condensate (EBC).
• Dundalk Institute of Technology hosts ECME, an EU-supported body whose mission is to create a cross-border centre of research excellence within the field of cardiovascular medicine, focusing in particular on medical grade wearables and associated remote monitoring systems. ECME recently launched a rapid-response funding call related to COVID-19. Grant awards of up to €30,000 will be made to enterprises for projects which support the objectives of ECME’s COVID-19 response. The closing date for the call was 24th April, and results will be issued by 7th May.

• Dublin City University School of Mathematical Science is now helping disease experts to model the course of the COVID-19 pandemic by improving mathematical models of COVID-19 spread, factoring fast-changing elements into the equations.
• University College Cork COVID-19 Remote Early Warning System (CREW) is a quarantine management platform that will allow the remote identification of healthcare staff who may be developing a temperature that may be symptomatic of COVID-19 and who therefore should not present to work. CREW combines existing technologies in an innovative way to allow remote continuous monitoring of healthcare workers to ensure early and reliable detection of a temperature, an early sign of COVID-19 infection.
• Trinity College Dublin Robotics and Information Lab spinout, Akara Robotics, has developed Violet, a germ-killing, ultraviolet light robot which kills viruses, bacteria and harmful germs. The HSE has fast-tracked its development as it can greatly reduce dependency on chemical-based solutions which require rooms to be vacated during sterilisation. Violet has already been deployed in a number of hospital settings.
• NUI Galway Inspire initiative is designed to deliver fast-to-clinic medical devices to support the COVID-19 effort. The Inspire team comprises more than 30 clinicians, medical physicists, engineers and other healthcare staff from University Hospital Galway, NUI Galway and the local Medtech industry. The team is addressing topics ranging from infection control to improving oxygen delivery to critically ill patients.
• NUI Galway COVID-19 Response Team is developing a new, open-source, simplified ventilator which could be rapidly introduced to hospitals worldwide by local healthcare services. The University’s VentShare team has been tasked with investigating a safer way to ventilate multiple patients from a single ventilator.
• Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) Medical Engineering Technology Gateway researchers are building face visors using an open source design and the Centre's 3D printers. Galway University Hospital clinicians assisted in the evaluation process.
• NUI Galway and University of have created a new website which is a research application tool to quickly and easily track the spread of COVID-19 by gathering anonymous symptom data. This means that we can more accurately estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 infections and help authorities make timely, data-driven decisions about protective measures.
• NUI Galway Institute for Lifecourse and Society is co-leading an International Global Youth Response to COVID-19 on how empathy, kindness and compassion are key to limiting suffering, protecting the vulnerable, and quickly recovering in the aftermath of the crisis.
• Galway Mayo Institute of Technology Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering is working with a team in the NUI Galway Lambe Institute, School of Medicine, to develop a split ventilator for use on two COVID-19 patients at once. GMIT is helping develop cross platform software that works with novel sensors to monitor the ventilator performance.
• Sligo Institute of Technology designers, engineers and scientists are developing develop a number of designs for ventilators and support ventilators to suit different levels of patient need. The team has coordinated its work with a broad national and international network, drawing on experience in countries where the COVID-19 crisis has been more advanced. The designs and prototypes in development are based on widely available components and simple control technology in order to be replicable in other locations. The Ventilator design will be Open-source for all to use.
• NUI Galway has developed a new Irish-manufactured decontamination wipe, aimed at first responders and emergency workers, that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by significantly reducing or preventing the transmission of a pathogen or virus. The Anti-Bioagent Wipe (ABwipe) is the result of a five-year project involving members of the military's Ordnance Corps and Aquila Bioscience, an Irish biotechnology company based at NUI Galway. Ordnance Corps personnel have taken an active part in designing the concept and in product trials. The first consignment has already been delivered to the Irish Defences Forces.
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is undertaking a project to provide digital and coaching support for 1100 medical interns entering the Irish system during the COVID-19 crisis. The RCSI-managed C3LX smart phone app in conjunction with online health coach support, will help mitigate psycho-social stress experienced by medical interns during this global crisis.
• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is developing real-time digital prediction of patient outcomes in COVID-19 using real-time smartphone-based remote systems that monitor a patient’s rate of breathing, oxygen use and oxygen levels in their blood, identifying at risk groups for disease severity in the community and within the hospital. The project is generating a scoring system that can be used to identify patients who may deteriorate and monitor them remotely, facilitating early discharge of patients who have less severe disease, and also let clinical teams know if a patient is about to become sicker.

• Carlow Institute of Technology has developed a design for face shields such that the team are now able to produce 70 in one day and pre-cut an additional 90 for easy assembly. Separately, a team of pharmaceutical academics at the Institute has used its laboratory alcohol supply to make hand sanitiser above the WHO specification. The Design+ technology gateway team has designed and produced face shields for healthcare workers, while a pharmaceutical team has created and produced its own hand sanitiser for those on the frontline of the pandemic.
• Technological University Dublin staff have formed a group to contribute to the COVID-19 response. Members in Bolton Street are working on a protective visor design for a Laser Cutter which enables rapid production with a single machine. Electronic Engineers in Kevin Street are using the Internet of Things technology to assist in communication between clinical staff and inpatients with COVID-19 who are in individual rooms, thus helping to reduce the demand for PPE. Tallaght staff printed and assembled visors to help frontline staff delivering them to Tallaght University Hospital.
• Sligo Institute of Technology has produced a sterilisation unit, manufactured on site and adapted for COVID-19 use. The unit is currently located in the Sligo University Hospital ICU department to aid in the risk prevention process.
• Sligo Institute of Technology is running the Visor Project in response to a call from the HSE for the manufacture of face shields. The Institute’s research team reviewed the technical requirements for the face shields, researched the available open source solutions and developed a number of these designs to suit the equipment and materials available.
• Dublin City University School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering of the Faculty of Computing and Engineering, and I-Form, the SFI-funded Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing, are producing PPE for frontline health staff using state-of-the-art 3D printing equipment.
• Waterford Institute of Technology Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biotechnology Research Centre is supporting the laboratories in University Hospital Waterford in testing for COVID-19, providing chemicals, reagents and PPE to staff and ongoing support in preparing the necessary solutions for their work.
• Athlone Institute of Technology Applied Polymer Technology (APT) Gateway is supporting the COVID-19 response in a range of ways, including use of its substantial network of suppliers for the manufacturer of swabs, and polymer sheets for their manufacture. The APT team have also collaborated with a Medical Device company on potential suppliers for face shield material and provided consultation on the design of an injection moulding machine for the production of respirators. APT have also worked as consultants on a task force deployed by the IDA on the manufacturing of Individual patient hoods, their work included identifying sources of RF welding and consulting on mould design for parts of a personalised hood manufacture
• Limerick Institute of Technology incubation enterprise clients are adapting their manufacturing processes. Thomondgate Whiskey and A&C Chemicals are developing sanitisers: Advanced Plasma Tech is working in the supply-chain of ventilators, as well as a sterilisation project with Queens University Belfast.
• Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire incubation client, Thinscale Technology, has developed Thin Kiosk software designed to offer the opportunity to work remotely and securely and to ensure that previously used computers can be re-used securely.
• Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Institute of Technology Tralee (IT Tralee) are supporting Public Health and State agencies in the South West and wider Munster Region with COVID-19 needs. Specific resources on call include scientific, nursing, and technical resources, including personnel and administrative support, as well as buildings and physical resources in the Kerry and Cork campuses.
• Letterkenny Institute of Technology Department of Science is working with Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) in the production of hand sanitiser, in line with WHO guidelines, for use by staff working on the frontline.

Enterprise Ireland (EI) helps companies to leverage the higher education system via its Technology Gateway Network based in the Institutes of Technology.

The following are some of the COVID-19 related projects being undertaken by EI client companies:

• Waterford based software development company NearForm is working with Ireland’s Health Service Executive, the country’s national health service, to develop a mobile tracing app for the disease.
• A new solution from Irish Internet of Things (IOT) specialist Taoglas is helping both public and private sector organisations to manage crowd sizes and social distancing, as part of the fight against COVID-19.
• Irish healthcare technology company SureWash has been working to educate people on hand hygiene. SureWash is an augmented reality hand washing app which was developed in Ireland to provide proper hand hygiene training to healthcare workers, patients and people worldwide.
• Irish biotech company Aalto Bio Reagents has launched a new protein with the power to fight COVID-19 on three fronts – diagnosis, vaccines and research.
• Pioneering plasma technology developed by Irish company Novaerus is already being deployed to purify air for patients and medical staff.
• Patient portal developer Wellola responded to a call from Ireland’s Health Services Executive (HSE), to develop and launch a new secure communication portal for clinicians and primary care providers in response to the pandemic

Participation in COVID-19 clinical trials

Ireland is adopting a national, strategic and coordinated approach to participation in COVID-19 clinical trials of existing or new treatments. Providing access to clinical trials for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 across all settings (ICU, hospital, community) is a key priority for the government. Ireland has an ambition to participate where possible in existing global clinical trials that are appropriate to an Irish setting. Such master protocols and collaboration deliver large numbers and enables comparison across countries and comparison of findings.

A range of medications that are currently used for other indications may have potential efficacy against COVID-19, but it is important that these treatments are made available to patients in Ireland in the context of clinical trials rather than individual, off license prescriptions. This is the best mechanism to protect patients, ensure robust scientific evidence of efficacy and make optimal use of limited medicines.

Ireland has already taken steps to begin recruitment of COVID-19 patients in ICU settings across seven sites in Ireland (REMAP-CAP trial). The trial is currently recruiting across 56 sites in 13 countries. In Ireland, the Clinical Trials Network in Critical Care will recruit ICU patients with COVID-19 into this trial across seven sites (further sites can be added as appropriate). These new COVID-19 arms of the trial are being funded by the Health Research Board.

Planning is at an advanced stage for Ireland’s participation in the WHO Solidarity Trial for COVID-19 patients in hospitals. The Minister for Health recently confirmed Ireland’s participation in this trial which is taking place in over 100 countries. The Department of Health will act as the sponsor for this trial, and will work closely with the HRB, University College Cork and HRB-funded Clinical Research Coordination Ireland (HRB-CRCI) to ensure coordination with hospitals and clinicians across the country. Critical support is also being provided by the HPRA and the HSE as access to, and availability of medicines for this and other trials is a key consideration. The trial will involve people who are 18 years or older who were recently hospitalised or already in hospital and diagnosed with COVID-19. They will be assessed by the responsible doctor to ensure they have no condition that contraindicates any of the trial medicines and then they will be randomly allocated to receive the local standard of care or that combined with one or more of the trial medicines*.

Patient outcomes for different treatments, whether the patient needed ventilation, and how long they spent in hospital, will be captured. Outcome data will be shared across all international participants, in a global effort to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in hospital settings.

• Remdesivir, Chloroquinine or hydroxychloroquinine, Lopinavir/Ritanovir and Interferon beta 1a.

The department is currently exploring opportunities for Ireland to collaborate in an international trial for COVID-19 patients in community healthcare settings.

Footnotes

1. This was one of a number of trials funded by the European Commission under FP7, as a Work Package in the PREPARE project. The aim of funding PREPARE (and embedded trials) was to build a European infrastructure for rapid clinical research responses in the face of new infectious disease threats.

2. HRB-CRCI is an independent integrated national clinical research network, providing centralised support in the conduct of multicentre clinical trials (both commercial and academic) across Ireland. HRB-CRCI is also the national hub for Ireland’s participation in the European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network, ECRIN.