As part of the global mobilization against COVID-19, the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) has adapted its facilities to meet the needs of the scientific community in terms of molecular testing. The Institute’s level 3 containment laboratory (CL3) has recently been upgraded and certified to allow researchers to study agents presenting a therapeutic potential against dangerous pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2.
The NC3 laboratory not only offers a secure infrastructure for in vitro and in vivo experimentation, but also access to a set of world-class expertise, in both cellular and molecular biology.
“This is an important project because if we are to succeed in countering COVID-19 in the near future, we need to be able to develop models of infection and test various agents, including small molecules having antiviral activities. For obvious security reasons, this requires special installations and expertise. At the IRCM, we are fortunate to have these resources under one roof. It is a great asset for the Quebec scientific community, “said Éric A. Cohen, IRCM researcher, Professor at Université de Montréal and Adjunct Professor at McGill University, recognized worldwide for his work on HIV.
Several researchers are counting on this laboratory to deepen their work around COVID-19. This is particularly the case of Nabil G. Seidah, a world-renowned IRCM researcher, Full Research Professor at Université de Montréal and Adjunct Professor at McGill University, whose team is studying Furin, an enzyme that could become a prime target for preventing and controlling the infection. His research work is also the subject of a collaboration with Éric Cohen. “This is the great advantage of this project. With the availability of several expertise within the IRCM, fruitful collaborations were quickly put in place to optimize the results of research work. In our case, the collaboration was obvious,” explains Nabil G. Seidah.
This new IRCM infrastructure quickly aroused the interest of several Quebec researchers who are working hard to counter COVID-19. It also attracted the attention of partners beyond Quebec’s borders, both from research institutions and industry.
