The alien in the crown

The genetic material of viruses has the ability to change. These changes occur stochastic, and not according to the "conscious plan" of the virus. As a result of mutations in the virus, proteins may change, which ensure its binding with cells and penetrating into these cells. A change in the structure of such proteins due to mutation can allow the virus to contact the cells of other animals, such as humans. If such a virus seems to be a chance to meet a person, then he begins to breed joyfully in the cells of the new owner. In our case, the virus has acquired the opportunity to contact the Angiotenzinzninzniproting enzyme of the II type of human, which is many on the surface of the lung cells and intestines, and penetrate into them. But do not attribute to the virus of some insidious plans or bloodthirsty aspirations. Today, SARS-COV-2 can be compared with a person who accidentally falls into an unfamiliar civilization: he can mortally offend someone, cause unrest or even kill simply out of ignorance. In reality, the virus is beneficial for its owner to continue to live, actively move, communicate and infect new individuals. So let's hope that gradually, as a result of new mutations in the virus genome, this disease will pass softer. While we are dealing with a fairly contagious virus (the probability of transmission of the disease is high) and the disease itself has very unpleasant clinical forms.

I, like many people, surprised my readiness, or rather, the unpreparedness of the healthcare system for such outbreaks. I'm talking now not only about Russia. Many countries today saw the flip side of the reforms in medicine: a decrease in the number of beds, medical staff, savings on technical equipment, the closure of hospitals in small towns - in return, huge hospital complexes and laboratories are created, which can work as efficiently as possible. Optimizers around the world really reduced the costs of medicine (which was not bad in a calm period), but deprived of the “reserve” system (which became acutely necessary during the epidemic). The current situation poses many questions. It is important what lessons we will learn from this. After all, no one guarantees that such a situation will not arise again.

The speed and openness of scientists around the world pleasantly surprised me. The Chinese colleagues very quickly identified the new virus, laid it out to open access by its sequenced genome. The whole scientific world has united to solve the problem. Priners, research protocols are available, and an active exchange of biomaterials is underway. Unfortunately, Russia turned out to be “its own path”: working with the virus is as difficult as possible due to the obstacles from customs, numerous protocols, rules, bureaucratic difficulties in the collaboration of different laboratories.

Well, the third thing that surprised me during this pandemic is the lack of attempts to “do science” in Russia at this time, while the whole world literally boils with new publications, discoveries, protocols. It is known that the “vector” conducts research, they detonated a certain number of virus genomes. But the data obtained are not available widely by Russian scientists or the world community. Now the Grant program of the RFFIA has been announced, dedicated to the problem of coronavirus. I hope this program will spur scientific planning in this area - while the process is stochastic. I would like to see more openness, cooperation and effectiveness.

In any solution to the problem, there are trunk tracks, but there are additional ones. Today, in the trunk ways in solving the problem of the SARS-COV-2 infection, the creation of a vaccine, diagnosis and therapy (including the selection of drugs) can be considered. So far, scientists around the world are focused on this, including due to the limited resources. I am sure that over time, studies will appear in the field of SARS-COV-2 immune therapy, and in the field of cellular potential, just so far the resources are aimed at more important topics.

You need to understand that even in an ideal state - without corruption, bribery, inflation and other problems - a financial pillow is not infinite. By directing the cash flow to one area, we are forced to pick up money from another. Nevertheless, I would pay much more attention to the place of the current government (including more funds for this) to train and prepare the medical staff and its life support (salaries and technical support of hospitals are important here - our future depends on this. Secondly, I would pay attention to biobanking (centers for the collection, storage and processing of various types of biological samples). It would be nice now to freeze samples of patients SARS-COV-2, fix the activity of their immune system, display the activity of various biomarkers. To understand the mechanisms of this disease and further research, this is simply necessary! Perhaps these processes are somewhere. But my colleagues and I do not know about them. It is not only about SARS-COV-2, this applies to a huge number of diseases. Moreover, there should be many samples, and it is desirable that their collection lasts decades.

Of course, all this reasoning is “from my bell tower”. If I were, for example, the attending surgeon, I would most likely answer differently.

Maxim Filipenko , Laboratory Head
Pharmacogenomy of the Institute of Chemical Biology
and fundamental medicine SB RAS, one of the developers
prototype express test for the initial detection of patients SARS-COV-2

Talked Julia Cherny