Exclusive interview with this newspaper-What did the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences did during the anti-epidemic period
Our reporter Lu Chengkuan
Since the outbreak of the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic, researchers from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences have been fighting the epidemic, and have undertaken many new Coronary Pneumonia prevention and control research tasks. However, rumors circulating on the Internet that "the new crown virus originated from artificial synthesis" and "the virus leaked from the laboratory" have also aroused continuous concern from all walks of life.
In order to fully present the epidemic prevention and control scientific research work done by the researchers of Wuhan Virus Research Institute, and tell their stories on the epidemic prevention and control scientific research frontline, the Science and Technology Daily exclusively interviewed Yuan, director of the Wuhan Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory Zhi Ming and Guan Wuxiang, deputy director of Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Started on December 30 last year
Science and Technology Daily reporter: When did the research on the new coronary pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan Virus Institute begin? What was the first task received?
Guan Wuxiang: The research on the new coronary pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan Institute of Virology started on December 30, 2019. After receiving samples of unexplained pneumonia sent by Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, the institute organized superior teams overnight to conduct pathogen detection and identification work, and quickly reported to the relevant departments after obtaining the results.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: Since the outbreak of the New Coronary Pneumonia, what research tasks have been undertaken by Wuhan Virus for the prevention and control of New Coronary Pneumonia? How is the progress of these tasks?
Guan Wuxiang: Since the outbreak, Wuhan virus has carried out scientific research on virus isolation and identification, pathogen detection, development of antiviral drugs and vaccines, evaluation of the neutralizing antibody titer of patients in the recovery phase, establishment of animal models and research on pathogenic mechanisms Tackling key issues, providing scientific and technological support for front-line prevention and control, and making positive progress.
In terms of virus isolation and identification, the Institute of Virus has continuously tackled key issues to obtain the full genome sequence of the virus, isolate the virus strain, determine it as a new coronavirus, and complete standardized storage. The virus sequence was submitted to the World Health Organization as one of the designated agencies of the National Health and Safety Commission on January 11.
In terms of virus detection, we quickly organized the research and development of nucleic acid and serological detection technologies and products, and cooperated with Shenzhen United Medical Technology Co., Ltd. to develop the 2019 new crown virus nucleic acid detection kit, which has entered the emergency approval process of the State Drug Administration. Cooperated with Zhuhai Livzon Reagent Co., Ltd. to develop the 2019 New Coronavirus Serology Test Kit, which was approved by the State Food and Drug Administration on March 14 and obtained a medical device registration certificate. As one of the designated institutions in Wuhan, the Institute has participated in the etiology testing of New Coronary Pneumonia. Since January 26, it has tested more than 6,500 samples of pharyngeal swabs from patients with suspected New Coronary Pneumonia.
We also jointly conducted the screening and evaluation of marketed drugs, clinical drugs and candidate drugs with the National Emergency Prevention and Control Drug Engineering Technology Research Center of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Academy of Military Sciences, and found that chloroquine phosphate, fapiravir, etc. are effective at the cellular level in vitro Suppression of the infection of 2019 new coronavirus, screening and evaluation of other drugs are underway. At the same time, it cooperated with Sinopharm Group Zhongsheng Company to develop a whole virus inactivated vaccine, which was approved by the State Food and Drug Administration for clinical trials on April 12.
In cooperation with Sinopharm Group Zhongsheng Company, the neutralizing antibody titer was evaluated on the plasma of some patients in the recovery period, and it was found that the antibody titer could reach 1: 640. The cooperative unit carried out relevant clinical work according to the procedure after further evaluation.
In terms of animal model construction, the establishment of a new coronary pneumonia rhesus monkey model has been completed, and through the evaluation of the new coronary pneumonia animal model organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology, it is believed that the model has been successfully constructed and can be used in the research of pathogenic mechanisms and transmission routes. The evaluation of vaccines and drugs provides an important platform.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: As a virus research institution, how does previous virus research experience help this epidemic research?
Guan Wuxiang: As early as the SARS outbreak in 2003, the country deployed the Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory undertaken by Wuhan Virus. The virus focuses on the research of medical viruses, especially highly pathogenic viruses, and has carried out basic research and research and development of prevention and control technologies for a variety of viruses. These work have laid the foundation for responding to emerging emergencies and formed reserves.
In particular, the research team of the Institute of Virus Research has been studying coronaviruses for more than ten years. It has stocked universal nucleic acid detection methods suitable for Coronaviridae, universal nucleic acid and antibody detection methods for SARS-like coronaviruses, virus isolation and culture methods, etc. These methods played an important role in the identification of pathogens in the early stage of the outbreak.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: Based on years of research on coronaviruses, can we predict the outbreak of new coronaviruses?
Guan Wuxiang: After the outbreak of SARS in 2003, China has improved its surveillance system for infectious diseases. Through the support of major infectious diseases, the ability to prevent and control infectious diseases has been further enhanced. The existing system is mainly aimed at infectious disease monitoring and early warning, and it is currently impossible to achieve active prediction.
The prediction of virus outbreaks is a worldwide problem that is difficult to predict. Mankind has insufficient knowledge of the viruses that exist in nature and the laws of their occurrence, development, spread, and pathogenesis. To achieve the stage of infectious diseases from the current passive early warning to active prediction, a group of researchers who can sit on the cold bench and insist on doing basic research and technology research and development are needed. Carrying out long-term surveillance and background investigation of viruses carried by wild animals is one of the important contents of monitoring possible infectious diseases.
Formed 12 scientific research teams
Science and Technology Daily reporter: At present, how many teams of Wuhan Virus are undertaking research tasks for the prevention and control of new coronary pneumonia? What exactly do these teams do?
Guan Wuxiang: With the development of the epidemic, according to the tasks undertaken, the institute concentrated its strengths, broke the discipline group setting, and after unified deployment, condensed and formed 12 scientific research teams, a total of more than 120 people, mainly carrying out pathogenic testing (almost 20 ), Virus monitoring (nearly 20 people), drug screening (17 people) and other work; a total of more than 40 people from 6 support teams provide guarantee for scientific research work, of which the National Virus Resource Library undertakes the collection and standardization of 2019 new crown virus samples, The Biosafety Level 3 (P3) laboratory and Biosafety Level 4 (P4) laboratory are mainly responsible for the normal operation of the laboratory and the safety protection of scientific researchers. The analysis and testing center and the laboratory animal center are respectively responsible for the analysis and testing of large instruments And provide laboratory animal protection.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: What is the working status of these scientific research personnel every day?
Guan Wuxiang: From the outbreak of the epidemic to the present, the science and technology workers of the Wuhan Virus Institute have been fighting on the front line of the fight against the epidemic. They took the initiative to abandon the Spring Festival holiday, overcome difficulties such as inconvenience in life, and went all out to do a good job in scientific research on new coronary pneumonia.
The single working time of the scientific research personnel in the laboratory is as long as 5-6 hours, during which they cannot eat, drink or go to the toilet, plus the preparation and data processing time, the average daily working time is about 10-12 hours. In order to efficiently use the facilities, multiple teams took turns to enter the P3 laboratories of Xiaohongshan and Zhengdian Parks to carry out key research activities; the pathogenic testing team with a larger sample was divided into two groups and rotated in the P3 and P2 laboratories.
For example, our 2019 New Coronary Pneumonia Pathogen Testing Team. Because the research team of the new coronary pneumonia etiology testing team has fewer members, it cannot meet the testing needs of a large number of samples. For a time, many young party members of the institute actively asked to participate in the etiology test.
What did the P4 laboratory do
Science and Technology Daily reporter: Can you give us a special introduction to the research tasks and progress of the P4 laboratory?
Yuan Zhiming: P4 laboratory is part of Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory. Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory includes a P4 laboratory and two P3 laboratories. These three laboratories and multiple P2 laboratories, general laboratories, laboratory animal facilities and related supporting facilities of Wuhan Virus Institute together constitute a biological Security laboratory cluster platform.
Since receiving unexplained pneumonia samples from Wuhan City on December 30, 2019, and subsequently successfully isolating the 2019 new coronavirus, Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory has urgently initiated the laboratory competence recognition and experimental activity qualification application for the 2019 new coronavirus research. Obtained the qualifications for the 2019 New Coronavirus cell culture, rodent infection and non-human primate infection operation operations, and ensured that the laboratory conducted relevant research work legally and compliantly. At the same time, the Institute's Scientific Research Ethics Review Committee and Laboratory Animal Management Working Committee approve, manage, supervise and review the development of animal experiments in accordance with procedures to ensure animal welfare during the experiment.
Since then, Wuhan National Biosafety Laboratory has fully carried out the purification and proliferation of 2019 new coronavirus, the evaluation of the neutralizing antibody titer of patients' plasma in the recovery period, the evaluation of disinfectant effects, the establishment of non-human primate animal models, the evaluation of antiviral drugs Live vaccine development and animal protection trials. At present, the standard process of virus propagation and inactivation has been established, the development of new disinfectants and the evaluation of the killing activity of 2019 new coronavirus have been completed, the rhesus monkey animal infection model has been established, and candidate antiviral drugs and inactivated vaccines have been developed Evaluation work. The establishment of animal models provides important basic conditions for the study of viral infections and the evaluation of the effects of other candidate antiviral drugs and new vaccines.
Levels of checkpoints ensure that viruses do not leak
Science and Technology Daily reporter: As the laboratory with the highest level of biological safety protection, what protective measures should researchers take when entering and exiting the P4 laboratory?
Yuan Zhiming: All scientific research personnel who conduct experimental operations in the P4 laboratory must undergo systematic theoretical and practical operation training, and must also pass the annual physiological and mental health assessment. After obtaining the qualifications for the post, the laboratory director shall be allowed to enter the laboratory only with the consent of the laboratory director.
Every time a scientific researcher enters the laboratory, the biological safety personnel must confirm that their basic physical conditions (blood pressure, body temperature, etc.) are normal and meet the needs of the experimental operation. In the specific operation process, qualified and authorized laboratory personnel can enter the P4 ring corridor through the access control system, check the laboratory operation status, fill in the "Labor Personnel Entry and Exit Registration Form", and notify the monitoring center.
Subsequently, the experimenter entered the first changing room of the laboratory again through the access control system, took off personal clothes, changed the disposable inner protective clothing, checked the status of the positive pressure protective clothing, then put on the positive pressure protective clothing and connected the breathing air supply hose . After completing the above steps, work in the core laboratory through the chemical shower. In order to ensure biological safety and biological security, the laboratory requires that there should be no less than two employees at the same time, and no one can enter the laboratory alone.
Researchers generally exit the laboratory in the same way as the entry route. Before quitting, chemical disinfectant disinfection and water rinse must be performed in the chemical shower room, and positive pressure protective clothing should be thoroughly disinfected. After taking off the inner protective clothing, all personnel must take a sanitary shower, then put on their own clothes, withdraw from the laboratory, fill out the "Laboratory Personnel Entry and Exit Registration Form", and one experiment is completed.
Inside the laboratory, all contact between scientific researchers and the outside world is done through the monitoring center. If any abnormal situation occurs, the monitoring center will be contacted as soon as possible. When there are experimental activities, the monitoring center will be equipped with biological safety, biological security and equipment support personnel throughout the process to ensure the ability to handle various emergency events.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: In terms of preventing the outflow of laboratory viruses, what unique protection technologies and measures does the P4 laboratory have?
Yuan Zhiming: The core part of Wuhan P4 Laboratory is surrounded by stainless steel enclosure walls, forming a "box-in-box" structure. The core laboratory enclosure structure can ensure sufficient structural strength and tightness to form a static seal. The laboratory dynamic seal uses negative pressure technology to ensure a strict and orderly pressure gradient between the functional areas, thereby effectively preventing the air contaminated by infectious pathogenic microorganisms from spreading to areas with low pollution probability and the external environment.
The exhaust gas from the laboratory is filtered and discharged with two-stage high-efficiency filters to ensure the safety of the laboratory exhaust; the wastewater from the laboratory is discharged after high-temperature treatment by the sewage treatment system; the polluted waste in the laboratory is subjected to double high pressure After high-temperature and high-pressure treatment of the sterilizer, it is safely removed and handed over to a centralized medical waste disposal unit with corresponding qualifications for disposal. When the personnel pass through the entrance and exit channels, the chemical shower device is used to chemically disinfect the positive pressure protective clothing of the experimenters to ensure the safety of the entrance and exit channels. The above technical protection measures ensure that the virus in the laboratory cannot escape.
The laboratory not only has high-standard biological safety facilities, but also establishes a strict biological safety management system, including scientific research projects, personnel, laboratory animals, waste disposal, infectious material management and other series of procedure documents and standard operation manuals, etc., to ensure that The laboratory runs safely and efficiently. The physical facilities of the laboratory must be tested by a third-party organization every year, and the operation of the laboratory must be subject to the supervision and evaluation of the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment and annual inspections by relevant national departments.
Science and Technology Daily reporter: The research on the 2019 new coronavirus needs to be continued for a long time. What work will be carried out in the future?
Guan Wuxiang: The Institute will continue to face the urgent scientific and technological needs of rapid disposal and emergency response, focusing on pathogen detection, development of antiviral drugs and vaccines, the evaluation of neutralizing antibody titers in patients ’plasma during recovery, animal models and pathogenic mechanism research Carry out scientific research.
Facing the long-term demand for the prevention and control of infectious diseases, the Institute will continue to carry out basic research and research and development of prevention and control technologies in the field of biosecurity and public health, and provide scientific and technological support and decision-making consultation for the maintenance of biosecurity.