Bench Press (News from the Lab)

March 11, 2021

Research in the time of COVID-19: A One-Year Anniversary Retrospective

The G. Magnotta research lab was launched in the summer of 2017 to tackle some of the complexities of Lyme disease, from diagnostic inadequacies to the drivers of longstanding illness. Although we were prepared for the challenges of building a program from scratch, we did not imagine that 2.5 years in, we would be grappling with another global health crisis. In honour of the one year anniversary of the WHO pandemic declaration, we take a look back at some pivotal events from the last 12 months of life in Lab, and how the pandemic has changed our perspective.

February, 2020. The novel coronavirus becomes a topic of conversation at our weekly lab meetings. COVID-19 is already disrupting our international travel plans, and we begin to consider what measures we need to put in place to keep everyone safe, and try to anticipate how it will affect our work routines. For some of us, this is not our first brush with a deadly coronavirus. Iain Mainprize was working on his PhD at Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, at the time of the SARS outbreak, which was caused by a related virus. Research personnel were required to wear masks at work for several months until the virus was successfully contained. 

March 11, 2020. Lab director Melanie Wills is the invited speaker at the Molecular and Cellular Biology Seminar Series, where she describes the research mandate and progress to a packed house. It would be the last in-person seminar in the Department for more than a year. Hours later, the WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic. The lab begins a ramp-down to essential activities, as personnel prepare for remote work.

Friday, March 13, 2020. Face-to-face teaching is suspended at the University. The remainder of the semester will be delivered virtually.  

Monday, March 16 2020. A work-from-home directive is issued by the University President for all non-essential workers, followed by research scale-back orders that limit experimental work to critical time-sensitive work. Over the next few days, our team members wrap up benchwork and export what they can in digital form. Those who have generated large data sets will be able to analyze them from home; others, like PhD candidate Jordan Ko, will run mock data as he learns new techniques in bioinformatics. The transition to remote work is underway, on a scale none of us has experienced. We hold our first virtual (videoconference) lab meeting on March 17, and this becomes a weekly staple in our schedule. Makeshift home offices begin to take shape (pictured left), but childcare and family responsibilities also compete for attention during lockdown. 

March 20+ 2020. As a lab that studies complications of infectious disease, we’re thinking not only about the case fatality risk of the pandemic virus and the threat of overwhelming the healthcare system, but also about long term consequences facing survivors. Concerning statistics from the SARS outbreak in 2003 suggest that around 20% of healthcare workers who contracted the virus in Toronto were left with debilitating symptoms that resembled fibromyalgia. The underlying source of their persistent illness was never identified, and the prognosis of such cases has not improved. Melanie begins to draft a research proposal and pitch to colleagues the idea of investigating longstanding disease triggered by COVID, and comparing it to chronic and post-treatment Lyme disease, which the lab has already been studying. 

April 2020. The GML and our collaborators submit two small grant applications to support pilot investigations of chronic COVID. Meanwhile, all community fundraising events through the G. Magnotta Foundation for Vector-Borne Diseases, which fuels our lab, have been cancelled for the remainder of the year due to the pandemic. This includes a cycling event, walk, golf tournament, and gala. Although the lab has sufficient funds to complete the Lyme projects that are in progress, lack of fundraising opportunities may impact the future continuity of the program. 

May 2020. The first snapshot of persistent COVID symptoms is developed through grass-roots patient-led research. Results of their survey of over 600 participants can be found here.

 Media outlets increasingly report on the phenomenon of prolonged illness, ringing alarm bells about another concerning facet of this pandemic. The terms long and “longhaul COVID” seem to debut in peer-reviewed biomedical literature in the fall, as a label developed and adopted by patient groups to describe those whose symptoms do not resolve in the anticipated timeframe. 

June 2020. Victoria Sanderson successfully defends her MSc on Borrelia and platelets over MS Teams, having finished the experimental portion of her dissertation before the lockdown. There will be no celebratory team drinks at the Grad Lounge after the examination, but Tori enjoys a well-deserved takeout meal. Once the (virtual) confetti settles, focus then shifts to re-framing her dissertation as a paper for scholarly publication. She and Melanie work on the manuscript and begin to submit it to biomedical journals for consideration.

July 2020. As COVID case numbers drop and public health restrictions are relaxed in Ontario, the Lab is permitted to re-open for experimental work, operating under strict new safety protocols. This includes reduced capacities in all spaces (and scheduling systems to keep track of shifts), mandatory masking, unidirectional flow of foot traffic through common areas, and tight restrictions for office use. Part of our crew resumes on-site work, while people involved in data analysis and writing continue from home. Not only does this allow us to generate new data on the bench, it also means that we can continue to exchange precious samples and knowledge with international collaborators to push forward with Lyme disease diagnostic innovation. 

Having been awarded small grants (Ontario and New Brunswick) to study chronic COVID (now “longhaul COVID”), the G. Magnotta lab and collaborators immediately begin to integrate the new information we are learning from patients about this disease presentation to flesh out the details of the first stage of our study. Simultaneously, intensive, months-long efforts are underway to secure funding for the next stages of our studies of Lyme patient platelets and Borrelia cell physiology.

September 2020. Victoria begins medical school, but continues to teleconference to lab meetings to keep her platelet manuscript moving through external review. Unable to provide an excellent physical training environment for new team members under the circumstances, we opted not to recruit new students for 2020 or early 2021, so the program continues to be carried by the experienced core crew. 

October 2020. After several rounds of peer review, the platelet manuscript is accepted and published in the journal Biology, in a special issue on spirochetes. (see our write up here).

November 2020. In person meetings are still prohibited in campus buildings, so the crew gathers in the Guelph Arboretum for a break from Zoom meetings before the snow flies (photo). Media interest in our long-COVID study is beginning to pick up, as recognition of the phenomenon spreads.

December 2020. Ethics approval is granted in Ontario and New Brunswick for the long-COVID study, and the survey goes live (follow this link to learn more about the study or participate). 

January 2021. In the face of surging COVID case counts and new containment measures in Ontario, we welcome Justin Wood into the lab as a part-time interim technician to advance stage two of the platelet research project. As founder of Geneticks Canada, Justin brings a knowledge and understanding of Lyme Disease and the complexities surrounding it, a molecular science skill set, and solid LD community connections. Justin is looking to continue to develop his research skills, and gain more experience working with cultured and clinical Borrelia samples. The GML recognizes this as an opportunity to further expand our research resources and fulfill our mandate of inclusivity in science. With the province under lockdown again, we are currently unable to run our blood collection clinic to gather fresh samples, but the experimental lab remains open under ongoing strict controls. 

February 2021. Having burned through our stockpile of specialty consumables, we are now contending with supply chain issues for molecular reagents, which are also used by the clinical diagnostic sector. Meanwhile, Iain completes a second draft of his paper on Borrelia environmental responses, which he distributes to collaborators for feedback before journal submissions begin. Overall, the mental health toll of the pandemic is becoming more apparent amid the isolation of a cold winter, and for some, a year-long separation from loved ones. 

March 2021. With COVID mitigation strategies on the horizon, the University of Guelph is anticipating a more ‘normal’ fall semester, and a gradual return to campus over the spring and summer for faculty and staff. One year in to working remotely, Melanie still insists on wearing blazers for Zoom meetings. 

As we move forward with hope, we carry with us lessons of resiliency, and daily reminders of the horrors of infectious diseases. Through the challenges of the past year, we have held steadfast to our vision to advance the science of Lyme and related diseases, which has kept us grounded and motivated. The critical nature of this research mandate has only been reinforced by the complications of COVID that we’re witnessing. May this difficult period eventually serve to spotlight chronic illness, broadening the dialogue and providing an impetus and opportunity for society to evolve in our understanding and treatment of complex conditions.  

December 2020

COVID-19 RESEARCH MAY PROVIDE INSIGHTS INTO CHRONIC LYME DISEASE 

While the world grapples with an infectious disease crisis on a scale that has not been experienced since the 1918 pandemic, the G. Magnotta Lab and collaborators are launching a study of the ongoing complications of COVID-19. “Longhaulers” are reporting a constellation of symptoms concerningly similar to those experienced by patients with chronic and treatment-resistant Lyme disease. Our goal is to investigate the “long COVID” phenomenon in parallel with our ongoing efforts to understand Lyme disease. The initial stage of this project is a survey to collect data from COVID-19 patients who are experiencing long term effects.  The survey is designed to identify clinical characteristics of the ongoing illness, which can then be compared to Lyme disease to identify similarities and differences. The team will gather follow-up health data from participants at future intervals to examine changes in individuals over time and to compare diverse patient conditions. This longitudinal observational study will also help in identifying factors that trigger chronic symptoms and in discovering potential treatments.

 The intention behind this research is NOT to detract from our Lyme Disease mandate, but rather to apply the lessons we have learned to an emerging and unknown situation, and to use the opportunity of this foundational research to enhance our understanding and validation of long-term, chronic disease related to infection.  We anticipate that this new COVID-19 research will provide much needed data on the potential long-term effects of pathogens in the human body and help to identify, define and create effective research best practices in protocols, methodologies and processes. This study will also enable future research projects on prognosis and mechanisms of long-standing disease.  

 Future stages outlined in the COVID-19 research proposal include a clinical research component of a comparison of blood markers of infection, inflammation and oxidative stress in participating COVID-19 patients in order to find biological markers that distinguish healthy and residually ill patients. We also hope to establish a repository of samples for future analyses.

 For more information, and to participate in the survey study (English or French), please follow this link.

August 2020

G. Magnotta Lab Summer Update

WE ARE BACK IN THE LAB!     

At the end of June, as part of phase 2 reopening, we regained access to the GML lab space and have been able to continue our benchwork.  The safety of the team and our community is still our first priority, but we are glad to be “home”.   

The past few months have been challenging but the team has diligently forged ahead in spite of the lockdown.  Under Melanie’s leadership, the team quickly adapted their task activities and have been operating from their homes, attending weekly virtual lab meetings and moving forward on their assigned projects.   

Team members have been working on data analysis and interpretation of lab results, documenting and graphically charting the information.  In addition to this regular workload, here’s some achievements we are proud of … 

WE’VE KEPT BUSY!  

Congratulations …to GML’s first MSc graduate, Victoria Sanderson!  She patiently worked through many obstacles to complete her Masters thesis and (online) defense in June.  Her research results have the potential to impact diagnostic methodology for determining LD, and GML is presently in the process of submitting her manuscript for publication. We’ll share more details of Victoria’s paper soon! In the meantime, Victoria is heading to medical school this fall, and we wish her the best as she continues to pursue her dreams. 

Research Opportunities

As a lab that studies chronic complications of infectious disease, we have kept a close (and concerned) eye on the consequences of COVID-19, and the plight of the “long haulers”.  (For more on this subject, and its relationship to other complex and chronic diseases, check out an Op Ed by our Lab Director, Melanie Wills).   Recognizing the similarities between persistent COVID-19 symptoms and Lyme disease, specifically in relation to patient experience and long term effects, GML has partnered with Mount Allison University to apply for a joint funding grant from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation in partnership with the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Upon receiving this grant, University of Guelph approved additional research funds through their COVID-19 Research Development and Catalyst Fund.  We anticipate that the collection of COVID-19 data will help in future with comparison studies and help support and drive clinical LD research.    

Moving Forward

Currently, GML is engaged in a complex application process with other international colleagues to develop an ambitious Lyme research proposal for a funding agency.  As a new lab, we have unique challenges to navigate as we build our reputation.  However, we are pleased to announce that we have made it through the first evaluation stage and are hard at work creating a compelling proposal along with our fellow applicants.  

Our commitment to keeping Lyme disease research moving forward is stronger than ever as we navigate through the COVID-19 situation.  While we don’t know what the future will hold, we are engaged, working hard, seeking opportunities, and dedicated to our vision. 

May, 2020

To our Lyme disease community,

 You may be wondering what we have been up to since the COVID-19 outbreak became the world’s focus. Like everyone else, we have been adjusting to a new way of operating.  

In early March, all University of Guelph researchers were asked to scale down, limit or adjust research activates, and then on March 17threquested to work from home as the university was starting their lockdown process and students, faculty and staff were shifted to working remotely.  This, of course, presented a major logistical challenge to the GML team.  The need to shift focus from experimental tasks to other critical research activities became apparent.  Our main priority, aside from the safety of our people and their families, became making sure that our Lyme disease research did not suffer.  

The team has stepped up to the plate, relocating to makeshift home offices, setting up communication links and remote online team meetings. We are keeping the research gears turning by analyzing data, documenting results, building relationships with collaborators, planning next steps, and preparing manuscripts for publication. With a strong sense of leadership, community, and purpose, we are thankfully able to continue to make progress and stay on track.

These are difficult times for all of us, and we are aware that this is situation may have long term implications on our funding, our collaboration opportunities with other research groups, and our own lab facilities. As we anxiously await the news that we can return to our physical lab, we know there will be major ongoing changes required to ensure the health and safety of the members of our team and the community at large.  We are not sure how this will play out logistically, or even when we will be able to function at a normal capacity, however, we are planning for different scenarios, and we will make the best of the situation.  

Above all, in this time of uncertainty, we want you to know that Lyme disease research is as critical as ever, and we continue to push forward. 

Wishing you health.

- The G. Magnotta Lab 

Partnership Announcement

On June 14, 2017, The University of Guelph and the G. Magnotta Foundation were thrilled to announce a strategic partnership to create a translational Lyme disease research program in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. The lab is expected to open in Fall, 2017.

Read press releases here:

• University of Guelph

• G. Magnotta Foundation