Leading the charge against COVID-19

Citizen COVID-19 blogging project

Oct 21, 2020 2:15 pm

Ruby Mendenhall and Robin Wilson at the University of Illinois have come together to lead a blogging project on COVID-19 throughout Illinois. They've signed-up citizen scientists to share their perspectives.

Detecting outbreaks through wastewater

Oct 27, 2020 1:45 pm

The Walder Foundation has awarded a Discovery Partners Institute science team led by UIC $1.25 million to develop a prototype capability for detecting COVID-19 outbreaks and trends in Chicago’s wastewater.

Phase 3 monoclonal antibody clinical trial

Oct 29, 2020 2:00 pm

Researchers at UIC are now enrolling people into a phase 3 clinical trial that will test if a monoclonal antibody treatment will help protect uninfected individuals from acquiring or getting sick from COVID-19 after someone in the household tests positive for COVID-19.

Profs. Johnson and Wooldridge with Chancellor Jones outside trailer

New mobile COVID-19 lab prototype

Nov 6, 2020 1:00 pm

The Grainger College of Engineering at UIUC has completed the prototype for a mobile laboratory designed to demonstrate a way to rapidly deploy the saliva-based test for COVID-19 developed at the university.

Clinical trials for blood clot prevention

Nov 18, 2020 1:30 pm

UIC will conduct three clinical trials for studying blood clot prevention in patients with COVID-19. Blood clots are one of the leading complications of COVID-19.

Comparing COVID-19 testing methods

Nov 18, 2020 1:30 pm

Students, faculty members and staff in Urbana-Champaign who are asked to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure or a positive test now have the opportunity to participate in a study that will help inform the national effort to manage the pandemic.

Activated immune cells clear from the virus infection, which damaged respiratory cells

Protective role sex steroids play

Nov 24, 2020 1:30 pm

A new paper from a UIC researcher shows evidence that suggests sex steroids may play a role in protecting against COVID-19 symptoms.

downward trend arrow with COVID-19 symbols

Economic impact of COVID-19

Dec 1, 2020 1:45 pm

Kenneth Kritz, distinguished professor of public administration at UIS, examines the economic impact of the pandemic on the United States economy.

Patient in rear-view car mirror getting testing instructions

Pop-up Rantoul testing clinics

Dec 2, 2020 1:45 pm

An interdisciplinary team of scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is working with clinicians and community researchers to expand access to COVID-19 testing by providing pop-up testing clinics for agricultural workers and others at various locations in Rantoul, Illinois.

Pandemic impact on waste

Dec 3, 2020 1:45 pm

Anne-Marie Hanson, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Illinois Springfield takes a look at the impact of COVID-19 on waste patterns, waste workers, and waste habits.

Chicago neighborhood with children playing

Neighborhoods and death rates

Dec 3, 2020 1:45 pm

A new study led by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago has found that Chicago neighborhoods with barriers to social distancing, including limited access to broadband internet and low rates of health insurance, had more COVID-19 deaths in spring 2020.

Student providing saliva sample into test tube

1 million saliva tests milestone

Dec 4, 2020 1:00 pm

The University of Illinois System surpassed a COVID-19 testing milestone Wednesday, performing 1 million rapid, saliva-based tests across its three university campuses since August.

COVID-19 electrochemical sensing platform

Paper-based detection sensor

Dec 4, 2020 3:45 pm

An Urbana-Champaign bioengineering graduate student has co-developed a rapid, ultrasensitive test using a paper-based electrochemical sensor that can detect the presence of the virus in less than five minutes.

Adapting HIV/AIDS interventions

Dec 8, 2020 3:30 pm

A research project being co-led by a UIUC social work professor is exploring whether interventions that have been effective at engaging high-risk populations in HIV/AIDS testing and treatment can be adapted to achieve similar effects in mitigating COVID-19.

UI Health now operating 4 COVID-19 testing & triage clinics

Dec 10, 2020 10:45 am

UI Health teams have worked together to plan, develop, and launch four COVID-19 triage and testing sites at various locations to help manage the flow and influx of patients with COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.

First vaccine doses in Chicago

Dec 15, 2020 12:45 pm

Five front-line medical workers, including UI Health's Dr. Marina Del Rios, received the vaccine against COVID-19 in Chicago on Tuesday, December 15, marking an important milestone in the fight against the coronavirus.

How masks affect speech acoustics

Dec 23, 2020 8:15 am

Masks are an important tool for fighting COVID-19 but wearing one can make it difficult for others to hear us speak. Using a unique laboratory setup, UIUC researcher Ryan Corey tested how different types of masks affect the acoustics of speech.

Stephanie Crawford, Wayne Giles, Phoenix Matthews

UIC experts part of vaccine work group

Jan 15, 2021 1:45 pm

Several UIC faculty are members of the Chicago Scientific COVID-19 Vaccine Work Group. This group, convened by the Chicago Department of Public Health, is tasked with independently evaluating whether or not the proper scientific and regulatory review has taken place for authorizing emergency use for COVID-19 vaccines.

Fast, cheap COVID-19 antibody test developed

Jan 25, 2021 3:00 pm

Researchers in Urbana-Champaign have developed a simple, fast, cost-efficient COVID-19 testing system. The test demonstrates great potential for wide applications in diverse working environments.

COVID-19 cases, deaths in U.S. increase with higher income inequality

Jan 26, 2021 9:15 am

U.S. counties with higher income inequality faced higher rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the first 200 days of the pandemic, according to a new study led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Tim Liao.

Illinois tax revenue losses lower than expected during pandemic

Jan 26, 2021 11:00 am

The pandemic hit state tax revenues hard last spring when a widely restrictive stay-at-home order was in effect, but much of that early loss was recovered in subsequent months, according to the report from the University of Illinois’ Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

Online smell, taste challenge offered as early detection tool

Jan 26, 2021 12:45 pm

A brief smell and taste challenge, developed by the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research, is a web-based tool people can use to easily monitor changes in these senses using their favorite morning beverage.

Culture shapes willingness to share personal data to reduce COVID-19 spread

Jan 27, 2021 8:30 am

Junghwan Kim, a graduate student in geography and geographic information science at UIUC, co-led a study of people’s attitudes toward sharing their geographic data with public health officials.

Precarious employment on the rise long before COVID-19

Jan 27, 2021 9:00 am

A study led by a University of Illinois Chicago researcher uses a new approach to measure precarious, or low-quality, employment in the United States. And, according to those findings, precarious employment has increased 9% between 1988 and 2016.

Illinois public universities seek additional COVID-19 relief

Jan 29, 2021 3:30 pm

Presidents of the state's public universities sent a letter to Illinois federal legislators today seeking additional relief from increasing costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Negative mental health effects of pandemic fade over time

Jan 30, 2021 10:15 am

Social distancing policies correlated with immediate increases in interest in information about “isolation” and “worry” – but those effects tapered off two to four weeks after their respective peaks, says a new UIUC study.

UI Health offering vaccines to people in Phase 1B

Feb 1, 2021 10:15 am

UI Health is administering vaccinations to patients and some members of the public on the UIC campus by appointment.

Retrained generic antibodies can recognize SARS-CoV-2

Feb 3, 2021 8:30 am

Researchers at UIC and California State University at Sacramento have developed a novel strategy to train the immunity response to COVID-19.

This is the safest place in Illinois

Feb 4, 2021 8:15 am

How the U of I developed its own COVID-19 test and deployed it more than a million times (and counting).

Jason Brooks administers COVID-19 vaccine

UIC nursing students help with vaccine effort in Urbana

Feb 9, 2021 8:00 am

UIC Nursing students in Urbana are gaining valuable clinical skills and providing a critical service to the community by helping local public health departments administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pharmacies go on hiring sprees

Feb 10, 2021 12:15 pm

Maurice Shaw, pharmicist and instructor for the UIC College of Pharmacy, signed on to give out vaccines on weekends in addition to his full-time job, after receiving a flurry of pitches for help. (New York Times)

Cleaning product use affecting asthma more during pandemic

Feb 10, 2021 12:30 pm

Those with asthma are experiencing less asthma control related to an increase in using household disinfectants — known asthma triggers — because of COVID-19, according to a survey co-conducted by UIC researchers.

Safer Community app has roots in U of I testing program

Feb 10, 2021 12:30 pm

William Sullivan, a professor of landscape architecture at UIUC, led the team that developed the Safer Illinois app. Since 1992, he said his focus at the university has been on how to create healthier cities.

UI Health leads Chicago in providing vaccines for phase 1B

Feb 12, 2021 12:30 pm

On the first day it opened a community COVID-19 vaccination site, UIC and UI Health administered more than 1,600 shots to phase 1A and phase 1B eligible people, representing nearly a quarter of all vaccine doses (23%) distributed in Chicago on that day.

UIS hosts webinar on impact of COVID-19 on youth

Feb 18, 2021 8:45 am

The UIS Innovation Hub, UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “Impact of COVID-19 on our Youth: Learning, Playing & Socializing” at Noon Friday, Feb. 19 via Zoom.

woman giving COVID-vaccination to resident

UIC vaccinating thousands at mass site, students pitch in

Feb 19, 2021 8:30 am

An expansive stadium at the UIC campus is serving a new purpose during the pandemic: The Credit Union 1 Arena now operates as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site, offering about 1,000 coveted doses to eligible residents every day. (Chicago Tribune)

Angela Mitchell on computer in UI Health pharmacy

Wearable sensors catch worsening COVID-19 symptoms early

Mar 1, 2021 11:00 am

UI Health employees that have had COVID-19 are part of a clinical trial of a new remote monitoring system designed to catch worsening symptoms before it is too late.

U of I System receives FDA authorization for covidSHIELD test process

Mar 1, 2021 12:45 pm

The University of Illinois System received emergency use authorization (EUA) today from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for covidSHIELD, its innovative saliva-based COVID-19 test that was used on the U of I campuses to hold the virus in check by utilizing widespread testing with rapid results.

UIC tests Cook County Jail wastewater to catch early outbreaks

Mar 5, 2021 8:00 am

On a recent morning, a UIC team, accompanied by doctors from the jail's Cermak Health Services and the Chicago Department of Health, showed NBC5 how they take samples from sewers at six different sites inside the jail complex.

UIS hosts webinar on "Getting our Lives Back"

Mar 10, 2021 10:15 am

The University of Illinois Springfield Innovation Hub and UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership will host a free public COVID-19 webinar titled “Getting our Lives Back: The Opportunities that Lie Ahead” at Noon Friday, March 12 via Zoom.

six feet apart sign in dining hall with worker

Killeen recognizes innovation and work that have kept campuses open

Mar 11, 2021 12:00 pm

University of Illinois System President Tim Killeen on Thursday recognized the thousands of staff, faculty and students whose efforts made the challenging 2020-21 academic year not only possible at the three system universities but a model of success.

Lorraine Brown with arms in air and mask on celebrating vaccination

UIC working to deliver vaccinations to city's most vulnerable

Mar 16, 2021 10:15 am

The University of Illinois Chicago along with Protect Chicago Plus have partnered to provide 1,000 COVID-19 vaccines to residents in the Englewood neighborhood, with plans to expand to other city areas with vulnerable populations.

COVID-19 molecule red and white rendering

UIS hosts webinar on COVID-19 & marginalized populations

Mar 18, 2021 9:00 am

UIS and the Community Health Roundtable will host a free public webinar titled “Implications of COVID-19 for Historically Marginalized Populations and the Aging Population” at Noon Friday, March 16 via Zoom.

Masked student gives thumbs up as he receives the vaccine

Vaccine study now open for student enrollment

Mar 23, 2021 10:30 am

UIUC students may now enroll in a study to help understand the effectiveness of vaccines in reducing the spread of the coronavirus.

Anna Lopez works on laptop and mobile phone at desk

Volunteers help Chicago residents without internet connect to COVID-19 vaccines

Mar 23, 2021 10:30 am

A UIC computer science student created a volunteer group on Facebook aimed at helping individuals from Chicago's Black and brown communities book vaccine appointments online.

Saliva test being expanded in Champaign-Urbana community

Mar 24, 2021 10:15 am

OSF HealthCare announced a new partnership with the University of Illinois Tuesday that will expand the U of I’s saliva-based COVID-19 test into the broader Champaign-Urbana community.

Novel COVID-19 drug blocks viral replication

Mar 24, 2021 12:00 pm

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have identified a potent new antiviral compound that can effectively block viral replication in human cells.

U.S. Covid-19 supercomputing group evaluates year-long effort

Mar 24, 2021 5:30 pm

Members of the Covid-19 High-Performance Computing Consortium on Tuesday spoke on the progress of their initiative and advocated for a formal organization that would be in charge of making computing resources available in the event of future pandemics, hurricanes, oil spills, wildfires and other natural disasters.

Researcher in SHIELD lab carrying samples

Rivian donates $500,000 to support SHIELD Illinois testing

Mar 25, 2021 10:30 am

The University of Illinois System received a $500,000 donation from Rivian to support the recently opened SHIELD Illinois COVID-19 testing lab at Illinois State University (ISU), which is located within five miles of the electric automaker’s factory in Normal.

headshots for Ujjal Kumar Mukherjee and Sridhar Seshadri

Study: Rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 key to reopening universities

Mar 29, 2021 12:00 pm

A new paper co-written by business professors Gies College of Business professors shows that rapid bulk-testing for COVID-19 along with other standard mitigation measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing were the keys to successfully reopening college campuses during the pandemic.

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