GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) -ECU’s Brody School of Medicine has been extremely busy with COVID-19 research and relief efforts and now, new funding and more ultra-cold storage freezers are coming to the school to assist.
The school is working with the Medical and Health Science Foundation to develop a pandemic research and response fund.
The CARES Act funding came to Brody in July and was slated to end in December. This new funding will help with continued research.
It will go towards learning the dynamics of the virus, how the body is impacted, and a mobile clinic for vaccine distribution.
In order for the vaccine to be stored, it needs ultra-cold storage of below 80 degrees.
The UNC System says that new mobile freezers will soon arrive at all 15 research institutions in the system. Brody is one of those and will be getting two large freezers and one small freezer.
Dr. Peter Schmidt, Vice Dean at BSM says freezer capacity is needed for more research. “The ability to do research on topics that are important to our community is just paramount to us. It’s very important that we get the support to do the research that is going to impact the health and focus on the areas of importance to the people of eastern North Carolina.”
It’s not known when the additional funding will be available, or when the freezers will arrive, but the school was told it will all happen soon.
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