May 14, 2020 5.32 pm This story is over 46 months old

Lincolnshire patients take part in a national COVID-19 study

ULHT are part of a nationwide push to help understand coronavirus symptoms more

By Local Democracy Reporter

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) has recruited coronavirus patients to participate in a groundbreaking study.

The study will aim to help professionals better understand the varied effects and symptoms that the virus has on people, ultimately aiding the search for treatments.

Over 170 NHS hospitals will take part in the research project, with ULHT included.

The hospitals taking part are Lincolnshire are Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and Lincoln County Hospital.

ULHT has already recruited 14 patients to the study, and aims to put forward even more.

It will look to sequence the genomes of 20,000 people who are severely ill with COVID-19.

A further 15,000 with mild symptoms will be studied, as they try to work out the difference between the severity of symptoms.

It will be performed by the GenOMICC Study Consortium led by the University of Edinburgh and Genomics England, as announced by health secretary Matt Hancock.

Dr Chablani is one of the principal investigators for the study at ULHT, and he is optimistic that the study will bring promising results.

“We are positive that the study will help unravel the mystery of genetic susceptibility to critical illness and help the scientific community to design new treatments.”

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