Michael Greenwood

Feature Writer

B.Sc. Chemistry, M.Sc. Drug Design and Discovery

Michael graduated from the University of Salford with a PhD in Biochemistry in 2023, and has keen research interests towards nanotechnology and its application to biological systems. Michael has written on a wide range of science communication and news topics within the life sciences and related fields since 2019, and engages extensively with current developments in journal publications.

Articles from Michael

Intestinal organoids demonstrate variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility

Three-dimensional organoid structures grown in the lab allow deeper, almost in situ investigation of a biological system, without the use of living animals. In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv*, organoids generated from human specimens are utilized to investigate the way in which SARS-CoV-2 interacts with the numerous cells of the intestinal epithelium, finding great heterogeneity in the susceptibility of the organoids and the cells within to infection.

21 Jul 2021

Study examines the host and viral factors that drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution

In a new paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv*, two clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 are monitored by whole genome sequencing as they are passaged through several generations of Vero cells or human-derived primary nasal epithelial cells (PNEC), allowing direct observation of the occurrence of virus enhancing mutations and the way in which host cell factors shape virus evolution.

21 Jul 2021

Human tissue xenografts in murine models for the study of SARS-CoV-2

Severe COVID-19 is associated with massive dysregulation of the host immune response, resulting in inflammation and the condition known as a cytokine storm. For the most part, however, the virus is barely noticeable or only mild among the young and healthy, suggesting that the route and intensity of an immune response could determine the severity of the disease.

20 Jul 2021

Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine highly effective against alpha and beta variants

The Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccine was widely distributed and had a reported efficacy in clinical trials of 94.1% against the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 following the second dose administration. Therefore, Chemaitelly et al. used this as an opportunity to measure the vaccine's efficacy against these variants as reported in a recent Nature Medicine paper, finding that the vaccine has good efficacy in all aspects.

16 Jul 2021

Mixing COVID vaccines generates a comparable immune response

The validity and safety of mixing first and second doses of different types are explored in a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Rose et al. (July 13th, 2021), finding that robust antibody response is induced, comparable to, and perhaps even exceed that generated by homologous dosing.

16 Jul 2021

Is niclosamide a potential SARS-CoV-2 antiviral inhibitor?

Niclosamide is an antihelminthic drug, historically used to treat tapeworm infestations, though has been investigated and repurposed for use against SARS-CoV-2. In a new study recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Garrett et al. (July 12, 2021), the drug demonstrates the ability to reorganize the lipid profile of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells, thereby limiting virus replication.

14 Jul 2021

Researchers examine efficacy of CT-P59 monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV-2 Brazil variant

The therapeutic monoclonal antibody CT-P59 binds to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2, the site of these three major mutations, which may therefore reduce the potency of this antibody against the P.1 lineage. In a new study, the neutralizing potency of this monoclonal antibody towards both wildtype and P.1 SARS-CoV-2 is investigated. The researchers found that the ability to bind with the virus is impeded by the mutations, resulting in reduced potency in vitro.

14 Jul 2021

Researchers model probability of extinction of SARS-CoV-2 variant in an outbreak

However, it cannot be confirmed for certain that the strain has been eliminated, raising the question of how long a strain must go undetected before being considered, in all probability, extinct.

9 Jul 2021

What are predictive biomarkers of COVID-19 disease severity in pregnant women?

In a paper recently published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, a retrospective cohort study on inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant women with COVID-19 reveals key differences that could better allow an accurate COVID-19 prognosis to be attained in pregnant women.

5 Jul 2021

New study attempts to characterize long-COVID in all its complexity

In a new meta-study, a large subset of reports on post-viral complications in individuals following a SARS-CoV-2 infection have been organized and categorized, mapping 287 unique clinical findings related to long-COVID.

5 Jul 2021