In a just-published peer reviewed study, experts at the Australian National Phenome Centre (ANPC), working with University of Cambridge researchers, have developed a predictive metabolic model for COVID-19 infection that shows multi-organ effects.
Blood plasma specimens collected from Western Australian COVID-19-positive patients and a matched control group were analysed in the ANPC lab using advanced metabolic phenotyping technologies to determine key metabolic differences between the groups.
The analysis revealed a ‘biological fingerprint’ of the disease that includes elements of liver dysfunction, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and coronary heart disease risk, all symptoms related to long-term effects observed in patients affected by the original SARS virus.
ANPC scientists are now collaborating with University of Cambridge to obtain large numbers of plasma samples from UK COVID-19 patients for analysis.
The Centre has also obtained funding from various bodies to conduct detailed follow up studies on recovered patients that project lead and ANPC Director Professor Jeremy Nicholson says “will be crucial to our understanding of long-term disease risks”.
Further reading
Read Professor Nicholson’s lucid explanation of his field of expertise.
Read about his recently published papers.
Find out more about ANPC’s COVID-19 research.
Source: ANPC delivers breakthrough in understanding the effects of COVID-19 I Murdoch University