KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are still researching COVID-19 to better understand how the virus affects the body.
They are looking into why the coronavirus causes different symptoms and internal damage. In early summer, researchers began using Summit, a supercomputer at ORNL, to analyze thousands of data sets and identify possible treatments.
Officials said those findings will go on to clinical trials before helping patients in the future.
“I think we’re all desperate for solutions and if we can move that bar forward a few inches to help find solutions, then that’s super exciting for us and it’s why we jumped in so early,” Dan Jacobson said, the lead researcher on a COVID-19 study.
There are several COVID-19-related studies ongoing at ORNL, officials said. Those studies include one that looks at why it can cause inflammation and another one that investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic can impact the demand for fuel in the U.S.
ORNL also announced a new, quicker licensing program allowing U.S. companies and universities to develop innovations helping responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
