The Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer / PUCRS) convened this Friday, March 19, in an extraordinary way, professionals, professors and researchers from PUCRS from different areas of activity to create a team in favor of combat , prevention and contingency of COVID-19 for the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Professionals from different areas such as immunology, molecular biology, medical assistance, biochemistry, radiology, geoprocessing and artificial intelligence make up this team that is led by the director of InsCer and vice Dean of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul Dr. Jaderson Costa da Costa.

The objective of this initiative is to promote a refined scientific technical positioning for the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the face of all the uncertainties related to the behavior of the infection in the treatment of the pathology COVID-19. In addition, the group has adhered to a continuous status of alertness and availability for the discussion of preventive measures for the population and health professionals, studies of cellular and molecular mechanisms, in addition to support for reference centers in the diagnosis of suspected cases. According to Costa da Costa "the time has come for us to seek strategies and actions based on the available scientific knowledge and research that we will develop so that short-term results can contribute to stop the progression of this pandemic and thus protect our society".

Some of the emerging measures announced by the group are the availability of the institute's structure for molecular diagnostics and the search for faster and lower cost diagnoses, studies of possible drugs with a computational approach and in cell culture, aid to the Telemedicine system for the State, possible use of advanced therapies such as autologous cell therapy and analysis through geospatial intelligence.