Covid-19: Oxford University rolls up its sleeves

On March 23, the first patients were enrolled into a new clinical trial to test the effects of potential drug treatments for patients admitted to hospital.

An interdisciplinary team of engineers and medics from Oxford University and King’s College London is addressing ways to increase the UK’s capacity for ventilator manufacture. OxVent is a rapidly deployable ventilator based on rapid prototyping.

Scientists from the University’s Engineering Science department and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR) have developed a rapid testing technology that can reduce test times by a factor of three to 30 minutes.

A team of medical research and bioethics experts at Oxford University are supporting several European governments on a coronavirus mobile app for instant contact tracing. If rapidly and widely deployed, the infectious disease experts believe such an app could significantly help to contain the spread of coronavirus. 

The Oxford Martin School has developed a unique and constantly evolving overview of all the major sources of data on the virus and how they help to answer the most frequently asked questions about the outbreak. Its resource is accessible to the public and works to convey the most important data-led information in an easy to use, and read, way.

About the Author

Antony David

A chemistry graduate, Antony spent most of his career using and then making equipment for the music and broadcast industries. He was managing director of Oxford-based electronics and software company, Solid State Logic.