C3 Fund
The Columbia Center for Infection and Immunity Coronavirus (C3) fund enables Center Director Dr. Ian Lipkin and his team to develop and scale the cutting-edge diagnostic, serology (antibody) and therapeutic tools the world urgently needs to advance understanding of, and response to, coronaviruses. C3 funds enabled development and scale-up of a highly-sensitive C3 test that identifies COVID-19 infection even in those with mild or no symptoms. These funds also support the Center’s work in drug repurposing and the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 patients. Now, given the world’s growing reliance on antibody test results for decision-making, the Center is directing its unique capabilities towards developing a highly-sensitive COVID-19 serology (antibody) test that minimizes false positives. With additional C3 funding, the test can be optimized and validated, enabling its rapid scale-up and widespread usage to inform the global response to this pandemic.