Tulane University is being given a grant of over $10 million to help develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.
Tulane's National Primate Research Center in Covington had received the money yesterday from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases led by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the Federal Coronavirus Task Force.
Tulane said the money would help fund studies into coronavirus vaccines for at least 3 years.
"The range of biological responses to COVID-19 is incredibly wide," said lead investigator Chad Roy, professor of microbiology and immunology in the Tulane University School of Medicine and director of infectious disease aerobiology at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. "We know relatively little about the intricacies of the disease — like why some infections result in mild disease, while others experience severe complications or death.”
"We will be a primary site for evaluating the nation’s leading medical countermeasures against COVID-19,” Roy added. "Receiving this award is a testament to the unique capabilities of the Tulane National Primate Research Center and the international reputation of Tulane University as a leader in infectious disease research."
In February, Tulane was one of the first facilities to receive official approval from the CDC to begin studying a vaccine for the virus.
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