Researchers at Boston University are under fire from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for developing a hybrid version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus without its knowledge. .The team of scientists published research findings on Friday saying they developed a new strain of the COVID-19 virus with an 80% kill rate. .READ MORE: Boston U researchers develop killer COVID strain, 80% more lethal.Although the university confirmed the research was approved by an internal biosafety review committee and Boston's Public Health Commission, the NIAID — one of the funders of the project — said it would be looking for answers as to why it first learned about the specific research work through media reports. .NIAID is one of dozens of institutes that make up the National Institute of Health, run by the US Department of Health and Human Services under the direction of Dr. Anthony Fauci. The institute "conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, treat, and ultimately prevent infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases," says the NIH website. .Director of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at NIAID, Emily Erbelding, said the BU team’s original grant applications did not specify scientists wanted to do this specific work, as reported by STAT News. Erbelding also said, based on progress reports submitted to the NIAID, the group did not make it clear it was doing experiments that involved enhancing a pathogen of pandemic potential, considered gain of function research. .“I think we’re going to have conversations over upcoming days,” Erbelding told STAT in an interview..Erbelding said she wished the research team would have informed NIAID of its intentions to do this type of work. .The research was released as a preprint — meaning it has yet to be peer reviewed — and has since received criticism from some media outlets claiming the team has participated in gain-of-function research and has worked to create a more dangerous virus..Rachel Lapal Cavallario, Boston U's associate vice-president for public relations and social media, refuted the gain-of-function research claims by media. .“In fact, this research made the virus [replication] less dangerous,” said Cavallario in email comments, adding other research groups conducted similar work..The research showed the team's man-made virus was more lethal to the specific type of lab mice used in the study than Omicron itself, killing 80% of the mice infected. However, the original Wuhan strain killed 100% of mice it was tested in..The lab out of Boston U is one of 13 biosafety level-four labs in the US authorized to handle the most dangerous pathogens..The US Department of Health and Human Services, led by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, is currently reviewing policy around gain of function research.
