Giving Compass' Take:

• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center highlights the need for funding to support the COVID-19 research. 

• This is an opportunity for funders to make quick, flexible donations that governments are not not capable of making. Are you ready to donate? 

• Learn how to find and fund scientific research. 

The COVID-19 virus has spread across the globe with breathtaking speed. But all along, an international team of computational biologists has been close behind.

The researchers behind Nextstrain.org, which was co-created by scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Basel, are using genetic clues to track the virus’ spread and evolution in near real-time. Their work is helping countries and policymakers develop strategies to monitor and control outbreaks to save lives.

But as fast as the science — and the virus — are moving, the financial resources needed to expand that global sequencing work have lagged.

“The epidemic doesn’t stop and wait for money to come in,” said Dr. Emma Hodcroft, an epidemiologist at University of Basel and co-developer of Nextstrain.org. “But the way science works, it can be difficult if not impossible to take your existing research funds and use them for something new, no matter how important.”

Read the full article about COVID-19 research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.