Higuita-Castro awarded Office of Research COVID-19 seed-funding

Natalia Higuita-Castro, assistant professor, Biomedical Engineering, is leading a project to investigate new research related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As described in the first scientific reports recently published by researchers from the Wuhan University (China), COVID-19 patients present a significant onset of life-threatening acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with worse outcomes for vulnerable populations. The COVID-19 seed funding, provided by the Ohio State Office of Research, will be used to develop an optimum formulation of engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) to significantly reduce the severe lung inflammation and damage observed during ARDS, potentially aiding faster recovery from the infection.

Through three rounds of funding, the Office of Research has given over $770,000 to projects aiming to find creative and rapid solutions to the critical health and societal problems associated with the pandemic. Higuita-Castro's awarded project is extensively highlighted in the Office of Research's final round of funding announcement. 

Congratulations to Dr. Natalia Higuita-Castro!