Helping Humanity: Critical Research in the Era of COVID-19

The prolific scientific response to the COVID-19 pandemic was nothing short of extraordinary, bringing hope and inspiration to humanity. At the Technion, researchers in more than 50 laboratories pivoted their work to focus on battling COVID-19 when outbreaks began appearing around the globe. As a result, they have produced innovative solutions to diagnose and contain the virus, bringing solace to people worldwide, while also becoming a more multidisciplinary and agile institution.

Relive the first Technion webinar of 2021 to learn how the pandemic led to some unexpected silver linings. While COVID-19 was one of the worst health crises in recent memory, scientific achievements that emerged from its challenges are sure to have a positive impact for a long time to come.

Professor Alon Wolf, VP for External Relations & Resource Development, addresses lessons learned from working in crisis mode, and offer an overview of the most promising COVID-related research at the Technion, including those being employed to keep the campus safe and open. Prof. Yair Ein-Eli talks about his reusable face mask that can be cleansed by heat generated from a simple phone charger. Asst. Prof. Naama Geva-Zatorsky introduces her NaorCov19 test which uses saliva samples to rapidly detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus and was in use on campus as part of a clinical trial. Asst. Prof. Yonatan Savir discusses his device to remotely measure a person’s vital signs, boosting safety for front-line healthcare workers. Innovative technologies like these are helping solve critical challenges of the current pandemic and could prepare us for future crises.