Like many other universities and institutes, BPRC also conducts research into corona. In this blog, we briefly explain why corona research is so important. We also give a small peek in our coronalab.

We are currently in the midst of the coronacrisis. The advice by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment emerges a clear picture. Stay indoors as much as possible, keep a distance of 1.5 meters, cough in elbows or tissue paper. And wash your hands frequently. The question is how to deal with outbreaks of pathogens in the future. Good to know is where they come from.

Every year on March 24, we commemorate that tuberculosis, TB for short, continues to claim many victims. Far too much, because the WHO estimates that there are approximately 10 million new infections and approximately 1.5 million deaths each year. That's over 4,000 deaths a day!

Long-tailed macaques and rhesus macaques are sensitive to the new coronavirus, just like humans. That is why we took extensive precautions to prevent accidental infections.

Dengue fever is caused by dengue virus and it is one of the most common diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Although the percentage of patients who die from dengue virus is low, the burden of disease and economic impact are high. There are currently no medicines to combat dengue fever. A vaccine is available, but it is not suitable for children and tourists. That is why a better vaccine is desperately needed.

Animal research, we cannot do without it yet. Certainly not when a new virus emerges that has the potential to make many, many, people sick, such as the new coronavirus. To stop the epidemic, new medicines and vaccines are needed. BPRC is working hard on this.

Worldwide, rhesus and long-tailed macaques are used as animal models in the development of therapies against serious diseases. These animal species originate in large parts of Southeast Asia. Their response to certain pathogens can differ and may depend on their geographic origin. Similar to humans, proteins of the KIR family (KIR is short for "killer-cell Ig-like receptors") may be involved in this differential response.

Animal-free research techniques shed a light on retroviral infections

The second-most important cause of malaria in humans is the parasite Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax). Half the world’s population is exposed to this parasite and it makes more than 7 million people ill every year.

An online course that covers all aspects in this area

Vaccines are one of the most powerful and effective ways to reduce morbidity and mortality. They offer protection against infectious diseases and can even eradicate diseases. Although our current vaccines are effective, there are some major challenges to overcome.