COVID-19 BRIEFING: What is 'gain of function' research?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2021-07-13 11:01

Australia; VIC; ACT

The debate about the origins of COVID-19 has led to some people calling for a ban on so-called 'gain of function' research. 'Gain of function' research can make a virus more infectious or more deadly, but this isn't the full picture. So, what exactly is 'gain of function' research? How and where is it used? And how can we decide which research to allow and which research is too risky? Join this AusSMC background briefing to hear about this issue from the experts.

Media release

From: Australian Science Media Centre

The debate about the origins of COVID-19 has led to some people calling for a ban on so-called 'gain of function' research. 'Gain of function' research can make a virus more infectious or more deadly, but this isn't the full picture. So, what exactly is 'gain of function' research? How and where is it used? And how can we decide which research to allow and which research is too risky?

Join this AusSMC background briefing to hear about this issue from the experts

Speakers:

Professor Michael Selgelid is a bioethicist at McMaster University in Canada and former director of the Centre for Human Bioethics at Monash University
Dr Gaetan Burgio is a geneticist at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, at the Australian National University
Professor Ian Barr is Deputy Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza

Attachments

Note: Not all attachments are visible to the general public. Research URLs will go live after the embargo ends.

Research Australian Science Media Centre, Web page Registration link

Briefing recording Australian Science Media Centre, Web page A full recording of the briefing

Journal/
conference:

Organisation/s: The Australian National University, The University of Melbourne

Funder: N/A

Media Contact/s

Contact details are only visible to registered journalists.