COVID-19 Biomarkers: Characterization of microRNAs induced during different stages of clinical disease for better prognosis and development of novel RNA-based therapies against COVID-19

This project envisions to characterize microRNA (miRNA)-based biomarkers for COVID-19. Biomarkers can help physicians predict which patients will develop more severe form of the disease from those that will recover after a mild episode. Although ~85% of infected people experience asymptomatic to moderate disease, ~15% experience acute respiratory distress, potentially leading to death. The elderly, people with comorbidities such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and those with compromised immunity are more likely to contract the severe disease. However, with the evolving pandemic, the profile of people at risk of severe disease has become murkier, with younger and healthier people without any comorbidities also succumbing to severe disease and death. Currently, biomarkers for COVID-19 do not exist, making it difficult to determine who are the vulnerable people in the population. This study aims to characterize miRNAs expressed in patients during disease progression to allow clinicians to develop disease prognosis and patient management protocols. Such biomarkers can lead to the development of new anti-miRNA-based therapeutic agents against COVID-19, making this study of dual importance to both the medical and scientific communities.