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COVID-19 Resources and Updates

UCRI has invested $6.4M in COVID-19 research and continues to support research and discovery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the coronavirus pandemic, UCRI has three priorities: the safety and well-being of our UC colleagues, the continuation of our business as a funder of UC research, and the support of our research community. This page provides resources for investigators, and highlights of recent UCRI research funding aimed at mitigating the pandemic.

RGPO Grantee Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic
UCRI funding for COVID-19 research
COVID-19 News and Updates from UC

RGPO Grantee Guidelines During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We recognize that many research projects, institutions, faculty, and trainees are adjusting to new work and personal circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to extend our support to everyone affected.

Stay up to date with on our latest grant administration policies and resources at the RGPO Grant Administration webpage.

UCRI FUNDING FOR COVID-19 Research

UCRI has invested $6.4 million in research funding for COVID-19 research from May 2020 - January 2022. UCRI funded four projects through the Emergency COVID-19 Research Seed Funding Opportunity. The UC-National Laboratory Fees Research Program immediately made $500,000 available to UC campuses for urgent research needs and also funded a $3.9M award to improve pandemic preparedness and health equity. The Multicampus Research Programs & Initiatives funded a UC-wide virtual biospecimen network and a collaboration to study the biophysics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Key UCRI-funded projects are listed below:

Improving pandemic preparedness and health equity through wastewater-based epidemiology

- Lead Principal Investigator: Kara Nelson, Ph.D., UC Berkeley
- Collaborating Sites: Davis, San Francisco, Lawrence Livermore

UC Coronavirus Assembly Research Consortium

- Lead Principal Investigator: Roya Zandi, Ph.D., UC Riverside
- Collaborating Sites: Davis, Merced

UC VIRTUAL BIOSPECIMEN NETWORK FOR COVID-19 CLINICALLY COLLECTED BIOSPECIMENS

- Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Anderson, Ph.D., UC Davis
- Collaborating Sites: Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco

DO ACE INHIBITORS AND ARBs INFLUENCE SEVERE OUTCOMES IN COVID-19 INFECTION?

- Lead Principal Investigator: Lori Daniels, M.D., UC San Diego
- Collaborating Sites: Los Angeles, San Francisco

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUNG ADULTS: THE YOUNG ADULT COURT STUDY

- Lead Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Cauffman, Ph.D., UC Irvine

ROLE OF DENDRITIC CELLS AND MACROPHAGES IN INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ELDERLY TO SARS-CoV2

- Lead Principal Investigator: Anshu Agrawal, Ph.D., UC Irvine

SEROSURVEILLANCE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS FOR COVID-19 USING A CORONAVIRUS ANTIGEN MICROARRAY

- Lead Principal Investigator: Saahir Khan, M.D., UC Irvine

COVID-19 News and Updates from UC

Please see this website for updates on COVID-19 research funded by the Research Grants Program Office (RGPO) at the UC, including publications that resulted from the Emergency COVID-19 Research Seed Funding Opportunity and Continuation Funding. UC Coronavirus Updates provides additional COVID-19 news and updates affecting the UC.