Biophysical Modeling of COVID-19 Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are starting for treating COVID-19 exposed or infected individuals. This project, led by David Odde, PhD, professor of Biomedical Engineering, will develop a biophysical (molecular and cellular lever) computer model that simulates this disease and tests therapeutic concepts computationally to predict likely impact of the treatments for affected patients. This will provide potential guidance to clinicians to allow the study to pivot toward potentially more effective interventions and away from less effective ones. The researchers can also start to simulate the effects of combination therapies with other emerging drugs that are already in clinical use.

“In parallel we will work to assemble a multi-scale modeling team that draws in the best minds in this space across the state of Minnesota and makes them available to the public health leaders leading the response to this disease. This team could develop a coordinated set of models that range from molecular and cellular to tissue and organ level, to population-level epidemiological models,” said Odde.

This project is supported by the UMN Campus Public Health Officer's CO:VID (Collaborative Outcomes: Visionary Innovation & Discovery) grants program, which support University of Minnesota faculty to catalyze and energize small-scale research projects designed to address and mitigate the COVID-19 virus and its associated risks.