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COVID-19 Response

Biosurveillance in Action

Los Alamos National Laboratory has been applying biosurveillance expertise to the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory

The U.S. Department of Energy National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL) is a consortium of DOE National laboratories that was established in March 2020 to address key challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis. Watch this video to learn more.

COVID-19 Projects

Diagnostics and Genomics

  • COVID-19 Genome Analytics website for sequence to genome tools, phylogeny-informed assay validation, and geographic analytics of COVID-19 cases.
  • SARS-CoV-2 sequence analysis pipeline for analyses and tools for exploring accruing mutations in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.
  • Operated an FDA-CLIA registered COVID-19 diagnostic testing facility for LANL personnel and LANL subcontractor  personnel.
  • Developed high-affinity antibody pairs for advanced diagnostic tools.
  • Evaluated various supply chain elements (viral transport media, assay kits, pooling strategies, reagents) to enhance diagnostic testing.
  • Provided bioinformatics expertise and support to partner labs worldwide that processed COVID-19 samples in their own countries.
  • Developed new tests that could screen for multiple respiratory pathogens at once.

Predictive Modeling and Decision Support

  • The Global Disease Modeling & Forecasting Center combined Los Alamos capabilities and key partnerships to develop, validate, and operationalize epidemiological models to combat infectious diseases.
  • COVID-19 Forecasted Case Data website tracked confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths and forecasted spread.
  • Evaluated testing and diagnostic sensitivity and provided decision support analysis for testing diagnostics, strategy, and uncertainty at the metropolitan level—using Modeling Epidemics for Decision support and Infrastructure ANalysis (MEDIAN).
  • Worked with three other National Laboratories to provide situational awareness, predictive modeling, and a visualization portal to characterize the spread of COVID-19 across the United States.
  • Quantified how the SARS-CoV-2 virus behaves in the host organism.
  • Used bioinformatics and modeling to track the diversity of the pathogen and how it is evolving.
  • Developed models of various mitigation strategies to inform decision makers at the state and local level.
  • Modeled hospital/healthcare surge capacity in response to COVID-19.
  • Used models to evaluate critical healthcare supply chains.

Vaccines and Countermeasures

  • Worked on a T-cell response vaccine for SARS-CoV-2.
  • Investigated the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and human receptors to develop lung-protective therapies.
  • Designed and synthesized surface proteins for drug studies.
  • Synthesized compounds for anti-viral drugs for the treatment of COVID-19.
  • Identified potential drug targets through structural and computational studies.