The University of Glasgow is at the heart of the COVID-19 research response in Scotland and the UK.

Scientists at the University are currently working on a number of vital COVID-19 related research projects, including vaccines, testing, treatment, virus behaviour, health complications and the wider effects of the pandemic on society.

The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) is working in partnership with colleagues across the UK on a range of research areas related to the new coronavirus, including working closely with colleagues in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and the University of Oxford on Phase III vaccine trials.

Most recently, Dr Toni Ho from the CVR, along with collegues across the UK, helped develop a COVID-19 risk identification tool – the most accurate to date – designed to help clinical staff choose the best course of treatment for patients admitted to hospital. The tool, built by the ISARIC Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium, will help identify gorups using clinical information and tests carried out upon arrival at hospital to predict patients’ risk of death.

Researchers and clinicians in Glasgow will also lead a global study into the longer-term health impacts of COVID-19. The international, multi-site study is launched by ISARIC to measure prevalence and risk factors of long-term health and psychosocial consequences of the disease and is led by Dr Janet Scott, also from the CVR.


Research areas also include fundamental studies to understand the nature of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus which causes COVID-19, genomic sequencing and bioinformatics analyses of the virus from patient samples, and the identification of potential therapies.

The University of Glasgow is also hosting a major COVID-19 testing centre at our Clinical Innovation Zone at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus. The Lighthouse Lab in Glasgow, officially opened on 22 April and is made possible by collaboration and support from Scottish and UK Governments, NHS, industry partners and with the help of over 500 staff volunteers. The Lighthouse Lab has now processed well over 3 million tests and counting, and hasintroducing automated testing.