COVID-19 Research at SLAC

Here’s a look at what we’re doing to make a difference in the global fight against COVID-19.

To stop the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists need to learn a lot more about how the virus that causes the disease, SARS-CoV-2, breaks into cells and turns them into virus assembly lines that spread infection. They also need to identify its weaknesses – places where it can be blocked or attacked. This information is critical for designing vaccines to prevent infection and drugs to treat it.

SLAC is uniquely equipped to do this work; in fact, we’ve been doing it for decades. At our large-scale facilities, which are open to scientists from all over the world, powerful beams of X-rays and electrons probe the structures and functions of proteins and other molecular machines that make all living things tick, including our bodies and the microbes that make us sick.

Among other things, these studies can reveal whether a potential drug molecule fits snugly enough into a pocket on the virus to keep it from functioning, and how specific parts of the virus interact with immune system cells that are supposed to protect us.

Our researchers are leading the development of global standards to make testing for coronavirus virus, and for the antibodies the body makes in response to infection, more reliable.

They’re also participating in Department of Energy working groups that coordinate a wide range of coronavirus research, from building low-cost emergency ventilators to finding the best ways to decontaminate face masks.

Our collaborations with Stanford University, our fellow national labs and other partners, from research institutions to industry, help move these efforts forward.

Below are some examples of this ongoing work.

Research Updates

January 5, 2021

Stanford single-dose nanoparticle vaccine for COVID-19
Researchers at Stanford are working to develop a single-dose vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 that could potentially be stored at room temperature.

December 18, 2020

Scientists get the most realistic view yet of a coronavirus spike’s protein structure
The study, done on a mild-mannered relative of the virus that causes COVID-19, paves the way for seeing more clearly how spike proteins initiate infections, with an eye to preventing and treating them.

December 14, 2020

During COVID-19, SLAC experiments continue with the help of remote technology
The lab’s X-ray laser recently joined other facilities in making remote science possible from any corner of the world, a trend that will likely continue into the future.

October 28, 2020

Identifying COVID-19 antibodies for potential treatments
Images reveal how some antibodies may block SARS-CoV-2 infection.

September 24, 2020

Faced with pandemic shortages, researchers combine heat and humidity to disinfect N95 masks for reuse
They found that gently heating N95 masks in high relative humidity could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 virus trapped within the masks, without degrading the masks’ performance.

August 27, 2020

In a search for COVID-19 treatments, researchers pursue a drug used on cats
University of Alberta researchers worked with SLAC X-ray scientists to explore the potential of a feline coronavirus drug that may be effective against SARS-CoV-2.

August 13, 2020   

SLAC scientists invent low-cost emergency ventilator and share the design for free
The technology could save the lives of COVID-19 patients when more advanced ventilators are too expensive or not available.

August 3, 2020   

SLAC’s new X-ray beamline aids COVID-19 research
Scientists are deploying this state-of-the-art X-ray crystallography facility to study biological molecules related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 17, 2020   

SLAC’s upgraded X-ray laser facility produces first light
Using the facility's brand new undulators, researchers will investigate the inner workings of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

April 16, 2020   

SLAC joins the global fight against COVID-19
The lab is responding to the coronavirus crisis by imaging disease-related biomolecules, developing standards for reliable coronavirus testing and enabling other essential research.

Cryogenic Electron Microscopy
(Cryo-EM)

In SLAC’s cryo-EM facilities, scientists flash-freeze bits of a virus in place, then fire electrons at them to look at their atomic structures and how those structures bend and twist. They can even look at an entire frozen virus. These incredibly detailed snapshots help reveal how viruses infect cells and what they do once inside.

Meet the Researchers

Here are some of the SLAC scientists working on projects related to COVID-19.

SLAC in times of COVID: Behind the scenes.

On March 16, 2020, the majority of our SLAC staff began working from home to follow the Bay Area counties' shelter-in-place orders. Some workers remained and others eventually returned to the lab to support COVID-19 related research conducted at our scientific facilities or resume construction on major projects. This album features a behind-the-scenes look at the lab during the pandemic. Photos will be added on an ongoing basis, so please check back for the latest.

View full album on Flickr