Core B: Testing and Biorepository

CORE B SUMMARY The services provided by Core B (Testing and Biorepository) will be essential for all Projects and Cores in the Serological Testing to Improve Outcomes from COVID-19 (STOP-COVID) Center. Serology and viral data from Core B, collected longitudinally, will be leveraged by the three Projects to understand determinants of prevalence, transmission, and protection in first responders and their household contacts, a cohort of individuals who remain at high risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The major goals for Core B will be to: (i) archive serum and cell samples collected during the five-year longitudinal study (Aim 1), (ii) perform virus testing on nasopharyngeal swabs (Aim 2), (iii) generate first-tier serology data on levels, isotypes, specificities, and neutralization activities of antibodies for all Projects (Aim 3), and (iv) interpret data with all STOP-COVID components, keeping a focus on producing new, testable hypotheses about COVID transmission and strategies for protection. Key attributes of Core B are that we have (i) in-house, FDA-approved testing for virus, (ii) a battery of validated antibody assays that measure distinct antigen specificities and Ig isotypes, (iii) assays for virus neutralization by serum antibodies, and (iv) an existing COVID biorepository infrastructure. Core B personnel have either developed or validated each of these assays. Importantly, Core B has also secured funding from OSU to support the bulk of our proposed testing. Cores A, B, and C will interface for storage, security, and deep analysis of data/metadata. Projects 1, 3, and Cores A-C will synergize to communicate testing data generated by our group to SeroNet, with regard to their immediate impact and on our evolving knowledge about COVID etiology, pathogenesis, and immunity. Core B will work closely with Project 3 on methods to communicate these data to STOP-COVID participants, focusing on their interpretation, current impact, and how they will guide future practices for mitigation. In summary, Core B will facilitate the collection, analysis, and interpretation of first-tier serological and viral qRT-PCR data, which will generate new hypotheses about COVID transmission and protection (Projects 1-2, Cores A and C). Thus, the integrative services and analyses provided by Core B will advance all Projects conceptually, will facilitate prioritization of downstream studies by all Projects and Cores and, ultimately, should identify new approaches to stop COVID or inhibit its transmission.