What is a margin of error? This statistical tool can help you understand vaccine trials and political polling

Whether you are predicting the outcome of an election or studying how effective a new drug is, there will always be some uncertainty. A margin of error is how statisticians measure that uncertainty.

Ofer Harel, Professor of Statistics, University of Connecticut • conversation
Jan. 6, 2021 • ~5 min

The top scientific breakthrough for 2020 was understanding SARS-CoV-2 and how it causes COVID-19 – and then developing multiple vaccines

The development of multiple vaccines against the virus that causes COVID-19 has been hailed as the breakthrough of 2020. But there were many more supporting discoveries that made this possible.

David Pride, Associate Director of Microbiology, University of California San Diego • conversation
Dec. 17, 2020 • ~11 min

A new anti-platelet drug shows potential for treating blood vessel clots in heart attacks, strokes and, possibly, COVID-19

Scientists have developed and tested a new anti-clotting drug in mice that shows promise for treating heart attacks and stroke. It may also prove useful for COVID-19.

Xiaoping Du, Professor of Pharmacology, University of Illinois at Chicago • conversation
July 15, 2020 • ~8 min

In search of coronavirus treatments – the opportunities and challenges of using existing drugs

Drug repurposing represents our only hope in the short-term treatment of COVID-19. But quick and rigorous trials needs to be run to provide evidence they work.

Ayfer Ali, Assistant Professor of Strategy, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick • conversation
April 27, 2020 • ~7 min

Coronavirus pandemic is paving the way for an increase in superbugs

Half of all patients who died of COVID-19 in Wuhan had a secondary infection.

Ronan McCarthy, Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, Brunel University London • conversation
April 22, 2020 • ~6 min

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