{"id":724,"date":"2022-04-07T12:27:40","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T12:27:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/?page_id=724"},"modified":"2022-06-07T09:17:48","modified_gmt":"2022-06-07T09:17:48","slug":"covid-19-breaking-barriers-using-data","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/ar2021\/covid-19-breaking-barriers-using-data","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19: breaking barriers using data"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n  <style>\n    .vf-hero {\n              --vf-hero--bg-image: url('https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/20220524_AR2021_banners-scaled.jpg');\n            }\n\n  <\/style>\n<section id=\"\" class=\"vf-hero | vf-u-fullbleed  | vf-u-margin__bottom--0\">\n  <div class=\"vf-hero__content | vf-box | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n        <h1 class=\"vf-hero__heading\">\n              Annual Report 2021          <\/h1>\n\n        <p class=\"vf-hero__subheading\">A year of exceptional life science research, training, service, industry collaboration, and integration of European life science research.<\/p>\n    \n    \n      <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!--\/vf-hero-->\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-grid | vf-grid__col-3\"><div class=\"vf-grid__col--span-2\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">COVID-19: breaking barriers using data<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two years into the pandemic, EMBL researchers and their collaborators continued harnessing data to gain a deeper understanding of the virus.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"vf-figure wp-block-image size-full is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" class=\"vf-figure__image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Variants-SARS-CoV-2-780x400-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Variants-SARS-CoV-2-780x400-1.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Variants-SARS-CoV-2-780x400-1-300x180.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Variants-SARS-CoV-2-780x400-1-768x461.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"vf-figure__caption\">Artist\u2019s impression of different SARS-CoV-2 variants. Credit: Karen Arnott\/EMBL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s been said that knowledge is power, and in the context of COVID-19, data-driven advances have been key to expanding knowledge of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2021, EMBL\u2019s role in exploring the biology of SARS-CoV-2 was significantly rooted in finding new ways to obtain, harness, and analyse data, and making those data freely available to all researchers. In doing so, EMBL scientists also gained novel insights into the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and its host, at the same time as creating a knowledge base that researchers around the world can benefit from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some snapshots of the research EMBL scientists performed in this field in 2021:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>England\u2019s COVID-19 crisis between September 2020 and June 2021 was more like a series of overlapping epidemics, rather than a single event, researchers concluded in<a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/sarscov2-england\/\"> one of the most detailed analyses of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance information to date.<\/a> The researchers described the scientific \u2018story\u2019 of the pandemic as it unfolded and underlined the importance of high-speed, large-scale genomic surveillance to understand and respond to infectious outbreaks.<\/li><li>EMBL scientists identified<a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/covid-19-immune-response\/\"> differences in immune responses to COVID-19<\/a> in people with no symptoms versus those suffering more serious reactions, looking for correlations at the single-cell level. Collaborating with the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.humancellatlas.org\/\"> Human Cell Atlas<\/a>, EMBL-EBI researchers found raised levels of specific immune cells in asymptomatic participants.<\/li><li>In an effort to determine<a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/sars-cov-2-curtails-immune-response-in-the-gut\/\"> the potential for COVID-19 to begin in a person\u2019s gut,<\/a> and better understand how human cells respond to SARS-CoV-2, EMBL scientists and collaborators combined computational tools with \u2018mini gut\u2019 models \u2013 human intestinal cells grown into organoids that mimic where the cells originate. This fundamental research sheds light on the role of the microbiome in COVID-19.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<div style=\"height:195px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<article class=\"vf-profile vf-profile--very-easy vf-profile--medium vf-profile--block | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\">\n\n    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Harald-Voehringer.jpeg\" class=\"vf-profile__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Harald-Voehringer.jpeg 220w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Harald-Voehringer-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px\" \/>\n    <h3 class=\"vf-profile__title\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n                                <\/h3>\n    \n    \n    \n      \n\n    \n<\/article>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left vf-u-text-color--green vf-text--body vf-text-body--2\"><em><meta charset=\"utf-8\">\u201cOur study on COVID-19 elucidated the transmissibility of emerging SARS-CoV2 variants in England, which enabled (British) authorities to implement timely interventions to prevent the further spread of the virus. This research would not have been possible without EMBL\u2019s open culture and great synergies with the Wellcome Sanger Institute.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left  vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">\u2014 Harald Sager Voehringer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/scientific-visitor-programme\/\">Visitor Programme<\/a> Postdoctoral Fellow, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huber.embl.de\/\">Huber Group<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"vf-box vf-box--easy vf-box-theme--tertiary | vf-u-margin__bottom--400\">\n      <h3 class=\"vf-box__heading\">\n                Explore more 2021 EMBL COVID research highlights:                  <\/h3> \n        <p class=\"vf-box__text\"><!-- wp:list --><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/sarscov2-england\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Genomic tracking of the COVID-19 pandemic in England | EMBL<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/covid-19-immune-response\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Different immune responses identified in patients with COVID-19 | EMBL<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/news\/science\/sars-cov-2-curtails-immune-response-in-the-gut\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SARS-CoV-2 curtails immune response in the gut | EMBL<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"vf-box__text\"><!-- \/wp:list --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\">V\u00f6hringer HS <em>et al.<\/em> (2021). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-021-04069-y\">Genomic reconstruction of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in England<\/a>. <em>Nature<\/em>, 14 October 2021. DOI: 10.1038\/s41586-021-04069-y<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\">Stephenson E <em>et al.<\/em> (2021). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-021-01329-2\">Single-cell multi-omics analysis of the immune response in COVID-19<\/a>. <em>Nature Medicine<\/em>, 20 April 2021. DOI: 10.1038\/s41591-021-01329-2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"vf-text--body vf-text-body--5\">Triana S<em> et al. <\/em>(2021). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.embopress.org\/doi\/full\/10.15252\/msb.202110232\">Single-cell analyses reveal SARS-CoV-2 interference with intrinsic immune response in the human gut<\/a><em>. Molecular Systems Biology<\/em>, 27 April 2021. DOI: 10.15252\/msb.202110232<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<style>\n    <\/style>\n\n<section id=\"wp-block-1\">\n  <div class=\"vf-card-container  | vf-u-fullbleed  \n  | vf-u-background-color-ui--grey--light \">\n          <div class=\"vf-section-header | vf-u-margin__bottom--600\">\n        <h2 class=\"vf-section-header__heading\" >\n            <\/h2>\n              <\/div>\n      \n\n<div class=\"embl-grid\"><div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/\">Back to Annual report<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<article class=\"vf-card vf-card--brand vf-card--bordered vf-u-margin__bottom--800\" default>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Visuel-Lassa-virus_1000x600.png\" class=\"vf-card__image\" alt=\"Three dimensional structure of the Lassa\u2019s virus polymerase with its different components represented by colored filaments and cylinders. The structure is shown as an octopus-like shape in the background.\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Visuel-Lassa-virus_1000x600.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Visuel-Lassa-virus_1000x600-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Visuel-Lassa-virus_1000x600-768x461.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>\n  <div class=\"vf-card__content | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n          <h3 class=\"vf-card__heading\">\n                  <a class=\"vf-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/ar2021\/using-structural-biology-to-investigate-molecular-machinery\" target=\"\">\n        \n        Next Story\n                  <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"vf-card__heading__icon | vf-icon vf-icon-arrow--inline-end\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n            <path d=\"M0 12c0 6.627 5.373 12 12 12s12-5.373 12-12S18.627 0 12 0C5.376.008.008 5.376 0 12zm13.707-5.209l4.5 4.5a1 1 0 010 1.414l-4.5 4.5a1 1 0 01-1.414-1.414l2.366-2.367a.25.25 0 00-.177-.424H6a1 1 0 010-2h8.482a.25.25 0 00.177-.427l-2.366-2.368a1 1 0 011.414-1.414z\" fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"><\/path>\n          <\/svg>\n        <\/a>\n              <\/h3>\n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__subheading\">Using structural biology to investigate molecular machinery<\/p>\n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__text\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">EMBL structural biologists continue to improve understanding of the mechanisms of life.<\/span><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><!--[vf\/content]-->\n<div class=\"vf-content\">\n\n<article class=\"vf-card vf-card--brand vf-card--bordered vf-u-margin__bottom--800\" default>\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/AR2021_PDF_mock-up_AdobeStock_182004081.jpg\" class=\"vf-card__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\">\n  \n  <div class=\"vf-card__content | vf-stack vf-stack--400\">\n          <h3 class=\"vf-card__heading\">\n                  <a class=\"vf-card__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/documents\/document\/annual-report-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n        \n        Download the annual report summary \n                  <svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"vf-card__heading__icon | vf-icon vf-icon-arrow--inline-end\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n            <path d=\"M0 12c0 6.627 5.373 12 12 12s12-5.373 12-12S18.627 0 12 0C5.376.008.008 5.376 0 12zm13.707-5.209l4.5 4.5a1 1 0 010 1.414l-4.5 4.5a1 1 0 01-1.414-1.414l2.366-2.367a.25.25 0 00-.177-.424H6a1 1 0 010-2h8.482a.25.25 0 00.177-.427l-2.366-2.368a1 1 0 011.414-1.414z\" fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"nonzero\"><\/path>\n          <\/svg>\n        <\/a>\n              <\/h3>\n    \n    \n          <p class=\"vf-card__text\">A snapshot of EMBL 2021 facts and figures<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":38,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"vf_template_subpage.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"embl_taxonomy":[],"class_list":["post-724","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"embl_taxonomy_terms":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=724"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3614,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/724\/revisions\/3614"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"embl_taxonomy","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.embl.org\/about\/info\/annual-report\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/embl_taxonomy?post=724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}