Title: Impact of Coronavirus on Scientific Research Progress
Written on
Chapter 1: The Immediate Effects of the Pandemic
Across the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has forced scientists to pause their critical research, risking the loss of years of valuable work.
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Section 1.1: A Researcher's Struggle
Dr. Cullen Taniguchi, a cancer researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, received an urgent email on March 22, compelling him to halt his extensive research. For six years, Taniguchi has led efforts to innovate treatments for pancreatic cancer, cultivating unique cell lines for experimental purposes. However, the email instructed him and his eight-member team to dismantle their lab within 24 hours to mitigate the spread of the virus, endangering their meticulously developed cell cultures.
Mixtures of chemicals painstakingly created over years needed to be properly stored or disposed of, while strategies were devised to maintain the health of laboratory mice used in their studies. The cells, likened by Taniguchi to being "frozen in time," would not return to their original state once thawed. “You’ll need a couple of years to regain what was lost,” he explains. The closure could obliterate years of research in Taniguchi's lab alone, and he notes the overwhelming disbelief among his colleagues. “Many are still grappling with this reality,” he adds.
Section 1.2: Broader Implications on Research
Taniguchi was one of many scientists at MD Anderson scrambling to safeguard or terminate ongoing projects. Around the world, researchers have faced similar challenges, with countless studies, surveys, and experiments grounded due to the pandemic. The global halt in scientific exploration, unrelated to the virus, affects tens of thousands and poses long-term ramifications on the scientific community and the populations they serve.
Fiona Burlig, an economist focusing on energy and environmental studies in India and the U.S., found some aspects of her work manageable from home. However, her project in Delhi was interrupted by the University of Chicago's closure order, coinciding with India’s nationwide lockdown. Burlig was involved in two critical studies, one examining how 8,000 households respond to detailed electricity billing information and another investigating the effects of bill subsidies. Both required interactions with local utility companies and direct interviews with families—now impossible under lockdown restrictions.
Section 1.3: Emotional Toll on Scientists
Her surveyors are currently confined to their homes, handling administrative duties with minimal progress. Once allowed to resume work, they will face additional weeks to reacquaint themselves with interview techniques and billing explanations before returning to the field. The lockdown's data loss will also complicate report writing for the study.
For others, the emotional rollercoaster has been daunting as institutions categorize essential lab functions amidst widespread closures. Lauren Diepenbrock, an entomologist at the University of Florida, studies the transmission of bacteria by the Asian citrus psyllid to citrus trees. Her lab was shut down on March 23, but a few team members, including Diepenbrock, were permitted limited access for essential care of plants and insect colonies.