The faculty, staff, and students of the Center for Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases within the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology at Colorado State University are actively working to address the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic for our community, the country, and the world.
We are conducting a multitude of projects to preserve the health of people, animals and the planet during this current pandemic by applying on our infectious disease expertise. Our researchers have prior experience with a variety of infectious diseases from both animal and public health perspectives, including other coronaviruses (SARS, MERS, feline coronavirus).
Existing collaborations, as well as new partnerships, are allowing our experts to contribute to a range of innovative COVID-19 solutions for the greater good.
Explore all Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology COVID-19 Efforts
Bats as Vectors of Disease
Rebekah Kading, Tony Schountz
‘A Lot To Contribute’: CSU Helps Research Bats & Coronavirus – CBS4 Denver [02/20/2020]
‘Zoonotic Spillover and Emerging Viruses’ COVID-19 Webinar – Denver Museum of Nature & Science [08/03/2020]
Mice, bats, and coronaviruses with Tony Schountz – This Week in Virology [10/01/2020]
COVID-19 Impacts: Perspectives from Women in Science – Women in Science Network Innovating Minds Lecture Series [09/29/2020]
Living With Bats: International team studies bat ecology and epidemiology in Uganda – CSU Source [06/25/2021]
Longitudinal Coronavirus Surveillance of Colorado Nursing Facilities
Greg Ebel
Minimizing transmission: Testing asymptomatic healthcare workers to find silent COVID-19 carriers – CSU Source [04/27/2020]
Colorado State University Researchers Run Coronavirus Tests On Those Without Symptoms – CBS4 Denver [04/28/2020]
Research at CSU shows why testing only symptomatic people won’t stop coronavirus in Colorado – Colorado Sun [05/05/2020]
CSU team finds dozens of asymptomatic nursing home workers infected with coronavirus – Coloradoan [05/15/2020]
‘We care for every Coloradan’: State supports expanded COVID-19 testing for nursing home workers, residents – CSU Source [05/21/2020]
CSU to begin COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic health care workers, nursing home residents – Denver7 News [05/21/2020]
Colorado nursing homes to test all employees weekly to try to avert coronavirus outbreaks – The Denver Post [05/21/2020]
Colorado Will Test For Coronavirus At Every Nursing Home Every Week For 8 Weeks – Colorado Public Radio [05/22/2020]
How genetic sequencing is helping solve the mystery of coronavirus’ spread through Colorado nursing homes – Colorado Sun [07/01/2020]
CSU work on COVID-19 in skilled nursing facilities leads national research – CSU Source [09/20/2020]
New tool aims to help long-term care facilities decide when, how to test for COVID-19 – CSU Source [07/21/2021]
Warning against Ivermectin as COVID-19 Treatment
Brian Foy
Medical community warns against using livestock drug ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment – Fox 31 News [08/23/2021]
CSU Professor Brian Foy: ‘No doctor should be prescribing ivermectin for COVID’ – CSU Source [09/03/2021]
COVID-19 Vaccine Development
Gregg Dean, Allison Vilander
CSU researchers pursue a vaccine to target an Achilles’ heel of the coronavirus – CSU Source [04/02/2020]
Making Progress Toward a Vaccine – KOA News Radio [04/08/2020]
CSU veterinarians on front lines in the hunt for COVID-19 vaccine – DVM360 [04/10/2020]
These Are The Treatments And Cures Colorado Researchers Are Developing For Coronavirus – CPR News [04/11/2020]
Colorado scientists pivot to join worldwide pursuit of coronavirus vaccine – Denver Post [04/12/2020]
CSU researchers part of race for coronavirus vaccine – Colorado Spring Gazette [04/29/2020]
Here’s what four Colorado research teams have learned from working on a coronavirus vaccine – The Colorado Sun [05/07/2020]
The Best Universities Solving The Coronavirus Pandemic – Successful Student [08/03/2020]
CSU included among top universities solving coronavirus pandemic – CSU Source [08/10/2020]
COVID-19 Speaker Series: Preventing the Next Coronavirus Pandemic (Video) – CSU Alumni Association [02/19/2021]
CSU vaccine research advances, groundwork begins to develop coronavirus vaccine for the next pandemic – CSU Source [02/22/2021]
Coronavirus vaccines are rolling out across the world. So why are CSU scientists still working to develop new ones? – The Colorado Sun [03/22/2021]
Coronavirus vaccines are widely available in the U.S. So why are scientists working on new ones? – Washington Post [06/30/2021]
Testing Antivirals for Possible COVID-19 Treatments
Rushika Perera
Antiviral compounds against COVID-19 tested in secure labs at CSU – CSU Source [04/13/2020]
Rushika Perera, Sue VandeWoude land COVID-19 research awards from the Boettcher Foundation – CSU Source [05/15/2020]
COVID-19 Speaker Series: Therapeutics with Dr. Rushika Perera – CSU Alumni Association [12/09/2020]
7 CSU pandemic resilience projects to receive more than $1.4M – CSU Source [11/17/2021]
SARS-CoV-2 Viral Biosensor
Brian Geiss
Research team inks licensing deal for COVID-19 viral detection test – CSU Source [07/16/2020]
CSU Researchers Develop At-Home Coronavirus Test With Quick Results – CBS4 Denver [07/21/2020]
CSU Working on COVID-19 Testing – KOA News Radio [07/22/2020]
CSU researchers move home COVID-19 test forward – Coloradoan [07/27/2020]
CSU innovators break record with 69 new patents in the past year – CSU Source [10/29/2020]