On Monday, February 20, 2023, Dr. Naglaa Saad, Assistant Professor at the Pharmacognosy, Ain Shams University, Egypt, delivered a Research Seminar to faculty and Master in Drug Discovery and Development students. The seminar was titled “SARS-CoV-2-free residual proteins mediated phenotypic and metabolic changes in peripheral blood monocytic-derived macrophages in support of viral pathogenesis”.
Dr. Saad, who is an active researcher in various fields related to drug discovery and metabolomics, shared her findings from one of her highly impactful articles about SARS-CoV-2. During the session, she discussed the significant adverse effects driven by residual viral proteins that may be considered determinants of viral pathogenesis. Dr. Naglaa mentioned that SARS-CoV-2-free proteins induced concentration-dependent alterations in the metabolic and phenotypic profiles of macrophages. She highlighted that several metabolic pathways were affected following treatment, including vitamin K, and the Warburg effect. Her findings provide important insight into the impact of SARS-CoV-2-free residual proteins on the host cells and suggest a potential new method of management during the infection and prior to vaccination.
The seminar was well-received by the attendees, who appreciated the insightful discussion and potential implications for future research.