Covid-19

Bats rarely get sick from deadly viruses like Ebola and Nipah despite carrying them. Now, Whitehead Institute Founding Member Rudolf Jaenisch and colleagues have found that while the SARS-CoV-2 virus can enter bat cells, the innate immune system prevents it from replicating and hijacking the cell's machinery.

Whitehead Institute Founding Member Rudolf Jaenisch and colleagues found that SARS-Cov-2 can infect sensory neurons and alter their gene expression. This may help to explain the peripheral nervous system symptoms associated with Covid-19, such as loss of smell.

Research from Whitehead Institute Member Yukiko Yamashita’s lab finds that a retrotransposon, a genetic element often thought of as a parasite, actually plays an important role in rejuvenating an important region of DNA, preserving fertility in flies.

New research from Whitehead Institute Founding Member Rudolf Jaenisch’s lab adds evidence to their finding that SARS-CoV-2 can integrate into the human genome, but finds that a model of the mRNA vaccine does not integrate.

Unlike our own genomes, the genetic material of the novel coronavirus is RNA — and RNA also makes up some of the vaccines. Learn how the field of RNA biology has been working to meet the challenges of the virus, and what Whitehead Institute RNA researchers have been working on throughout the pandemic. 

A paper from the lab of Whitehead Institute Member Rudolf Jaenisch suggests that the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 can integrate into the host cell genome and be expressed in some patient-derived tissues.

While the institutional challenges presented by COVID-19 have been significant, Whitehead Institute scientists have responded with determination and focused innovation. 
 

In this episode of AudioHelicase Podcast, Whitehead Fellow Silvi Rouskin discusses her research on solving the structure of the novel coronavirus's RNA genome, with the goal of revealing weak points in the virus’s gene regulation that new drugs could potentially target.

A new MIT course on the COVID-19 pandemic, available to the public online, brings together top COVID-19 experts to educate students on up-to-date pandemic science.