Neutrons chart atomic map of COVID-19’s viral replication mechanism

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutron scattering to identify key information to improve the effectiveness of drug inhibitors designed to block the virus’s replication mechanism. The research is published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Virtual reality technology enabled ORNL scientists to look “inside” the Covid-19 virus and develop a novel molecule that can inhibit its main protease enzyme. Credit: Jill Hemman/ORNL
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are designing and testing small-molecule antivirals that block the virus’s ability to reproduce.
The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory is working with users to perform research focused on understanding the fundamentals of COVID-19—so we, as the science community, can help stop the pandemic.
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a network of field research sites designed to collect long-term open access ecological data to better understand how U.S. ecosystems are changing.
Researchers used Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Quantum Computing User Program (QCUP) to achieve major improvements in quantum fidelity, a potential step toward more accurate, reliable quantum networks and supercomputers.
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