Understanding Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Associated with COVID-19
PIs: Katherine Dobbs, MD and Sahera Dirajlal-Fargo, DO MS, Department of Pediatrics
The purpose of this study is to gain better understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical course of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), an emerging illness temporally associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesize that in susceptible children, a dysregulated immune response to preceding SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to progressive endothelial injury, cytokine storm, and clinical features of MIS-C. Our objective is to identify early biomarkers that predict which children with confirmed/probable MIS-C will develop the most severe forms of disease and adverse long-term health consequences.
Nature of Antibody and T cells Responses to SARS-CoV-2
PIs: Christopher King, MD, PhD and Adam Burgener, PhD
The King Lab in collaboration with the Burgener Lab and other laboratories at CWRU school of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Metro Health Medical Center aim to determine the nature of antibody and T cells responses to SARS-CoV-2. If people develop antibody and T cells responses to SARS-CoV-2 are they protected from re-infection, for how long, and whether certain types of immune responses are more likely to confer protection and how this relates to severity of Covid-19 disease. To help support this work the King lab has obtained funding from the Nord Family foundation, Veteran Affairs Research Service, the Jewish Family Service Association and potentially the National Institutes of Health.
COVID-19 Epidemiology and Bioethics Research
PI: Daniel Tisch, PhD, MPH
Daniel Tisch serves as a consultant to the Cleveland Department of Public Health, providing weekly on-site data COVID-19 epidemiological data and analytical support from March to August, 2020. He also helped organize CWRU volunteer efforts at the Department of Health for early contact tracing and epidemiological analytic coding. Dr. Tisch is currently engaged in the only state of Ohio funded COVID-19 research focused on the safe operation of child care centers in Ohio with Dr. Darcy Freedman. Dr. Tisch also collaborates with multiple Departments and Schools at CWRU on COVID-19 bioethics research and has received institutional support to develop tools and resources for public health and medical researchers seeking to address complex COVID-19 research questions.