COVID-19 Serology Assays and Cell Therapy Strategies

COVID-19 is a highly pathogenic disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We have assembled a panel of experts to discuss a variety of current strategies for both serological testing and cell therapies to combat tissue damage caused by COVID-19. Serological assays are blood-based tests that have proven to be critical in understanding whether people have been exposed to a pathogen by looking at their immune response. This has been particularly helpful in quantifying the number of COVID-19 cases, including those that may be asymptomatic or have recovered. Here we describe a serological assay established by the lab of Dr. Florian Krammer of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to detect seroconversion to SARS-CoV-2 in humans. Using this assay, we can assess if people have antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.