Left to right, top to bottom: Kunxin Luo, Russell Vance, Michael Rape, Michael Marletta, Sarah Stanley

MCB faculty Kunxin Luo, Russell Vance, Michael Rape, Sarah Stanley, and Michael Marletta have been selected to receive bridge funding for their high-risk, original, and crucial research on the SARS-CoV2/COVID-19 global pandemic. 

The Henry Wheeler Center for Emerging & Neglected Diseases (CEND) established the COVID Catalyst fund to encourage and support more novel ideas and solutions to interfere with the COVID-19 replication, expansions, and infection. CEND is a multidisciplinary research unit at UC Berkeley whose mission is to make innovative and substantial contributions to the global response to emerging and neglected infectious diseases. 

  • Kunxin Luo – High affinity soluble ACE2 decoy receptor approach for Covid-19
  • Russell Vance –  Targeting the inflammasome to combat Covid-19
  • Michael Rape –  Improving efficacy of remdesivir
  • Sarah Stanley – Repurposing screen of approved compounds for Covid-19
  • Michael Marletta – Nitric Oxide effects on Covid-19 infection

Learn more about CEND, the Covid Catalyst fund, and the rest of the Covid Catalyst awardees here:

CEND Homepage
Covid Catalyst Fund
Covid Catalyst Awardees