Back UPF is launching the #UPFContraElCoronavirus crowdfunding campaign to fund projects to fight COVID-19

UPF is launching the #UPFContraElCoronavirus crowdfunding campaign to fund projects to fight COVID-19

It is currently possible to collaborate via three initiatives: research projects of the Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, UPF Makers, and the Ingenuity against COVID-19 awards. All of them are driven by UPF researchers, UPF research centres or members of the UPF community.

09.04.2020

Imatge inicial

UPF joins the fight against coronavirus launching the #UPFContraElCoronavirus campaign, driven by UPF Fund, the University’s institutional fundraising unit.  The aim is to crowdfund projects by researchers, research centres or members of the university community related to coronavirus.

Currently, there are three initiatives to which you can collaborate by making regular or occasional financial donations. The Department of Experimental and Health Sciences (DCEXS) has launched several projects for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. The groups of Virology (Juana Díez and Andreas Meyerhans), Immunology (Cristina López and Jose Aramburu), Molecular Physiology (Rubén Vicente), Proteomics (David Andreu), Nanomedicine (Pilar Rivera), Bioinformatics (Baldo Oliva), Translational Synthetic Biology (Marc Güell), Neuropharmacology (Rafael Maldonado), and Public Health (Fernando G.  Benavides), are working on the following projects:

  •  The development of reliable, economic rapid diagnostic tests, beyond current technology, to screen for COVID-19. The aim is to provide the health system with a tool to filter the population to prevent the system from collapsing.
  • The development of innovative antiviral therapies, as well as the improvement of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus.
  • The study of the immune control of the strength of antiviral responses, their involvement in eliminating the virus and its impact on the function and regeneration of the hematopoietic system.
  • The development of a vaccine based in peptides. They are currently running a field test solution for COVID-19 and other infections related to viruses using a Handheld Raman tool.

You can also collaborate with the UPF Makers initiative, which was launched by students of the Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. With the University’s four 3D printers that were previously moved to their homes, each day they print protective visors that the Coronavirus Makers  community distributes to the hospitals that are in greatest need of them at the time.  All funds raised will be used to purchase consumables such as the reels of plastic required for printing the parts.

Finally, UPF’s Barcelona Centre for New Medical Technologies (BCN MedTech) research unit, with the support of the Department of Information and Communication Technologies is promoting the Ingenuity against COVID-19 awards. This initiative seeks support projects carried out by engineering students at UPF to develop tools that enable the citizens to fight the spread of coronavirus.

In the first four days, the campaign received 56 donations amounting to nearly €900. Currently over €500 has been raised for the research projects of the DCEXS and almost €300 for the UPF Makers initiative.

UPF Fund already has more projects on the table that it is considering adding to the platform shortly and it is open to new crowdfunding campaigns and initiatives in relation to coronavirus that can be sent in by email.

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