key: cord-0860387-j88sjof2
authors: Culbertson, Sannie J.
title: Apart, together
date: 2021-11-11
journal: Trends Biochem Sci
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2021.09.004
sha: 7bd19421ff026af8c1e04ae50effc134a98abc1b
doc_id: 860387
cord_uid: j88sjof2

nan

The Trends team recognizes the scientists, researchers, and healthcare workers who have lost their lives to COVID-19, whether directly or indirectly. This includes individuals who succumbed to complications arising from SARS-CoV-2 infection, including those whose deaths resulted from breakthrough infections and those whose deaths reflect the growing mental health toll of the pandemic. Still others suffered from delayed diagnoses and treatments because of overburdened, nearly broken healthcare systems, and some delayed going to inundated hospitals when they otherwise would not have. Towards this latter point, I am taking advantage of this opportunity provided by the Trends team to remember my father, a healthcare worker, who passed in May 2020. While this remembrance serves as a sobering reminder of the sacrifices that have been made by so many, it also serves to recognize all the families whose lives have been impacted by the loss of family and friends, as well as those individuals who have stepped up to support those in need. Thank you.

As we collectively reflect on how the COVID-19 outbreak rapidly evolved into a global pandemic, we recognize that phrases based on scientific principles such as 'flatten the curve', 'herd immunity', '6 feet apart', and 'hotspots' assumed unprecedented importance in everyday life. Indeed, the phrase 'follow the science' soon transformed into a trending tagline, with the status of scientists seemingly elevated to that of celebrities. Some medics and frontline workers were even featured on covers of fashion magazines i , an unusual recognition of their vital contributions to the community at large, and rightfully so. Of all the phrases that have become a part of our collective vocabulary during the pandemic, one became a global rallying cry as we faced a common threat that forced us to distance ourselves from each other: 'All in this together'.

The scientific community has embraced this call for collective action, sustaining an unparalleled pace of progress and discovery over the past 2 years, even in the face of significant setbacks. With lockdowns in place worldwide, laboratory closures and restrictions imperiled research on a global scale. In some institutions, scientists and clinicians were required or encouraged to stop their personal research to help fight COVID-19 by processing tests, formulating sanitizers, donating equipment, and/or working on the frontlines ii-iv . Laboratory heads scrambled to sustain their research and keep their teams safe, with some even struggling to obtain basic supplies and keep model organisms alive. In academia, colleges and universities faced existential threats as they grappled with plummeting student enrolment and the challenges of remote learning. Under these circumstances, some researchers have lost their jobs, and those who remain face an exceptionally fraught path for navigating even standard career milestones such as preparing grants and tenure packages. Increasingly, there is strong evidence that this path is more fraught for women researchers, researchers with children, and early-career researchers v-viii [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . Undeniably, the pandemic has also taken a significant toll on the mental well-being of researchers and students alike; individuals have coped and dealt with the severe restrictions and isolation with varying levels of success that depends on the day, month, and season. The wounds inflicted by the pandemic on the scientific community run deep and will certainly take time to heal.

Despite everything, science continues because of the compassion, sacrifice, and endurance of our communities. Where possible, COVID-19 tests were made freely available, allowing research to progress in some formats; those with access to their laboratories worked grueling hours to advance coronavirus research, while those barred from their space embraced creative approaches to continue their own, still vital, research. Group meetings and departmental visits through virtual platforms ensured that past connections were maintained, while still providing a path forward for forging new ones. Conferences also turned virtual, providing and expanding access to many who would not have otherwise been able to attend. Scientific editors managed unprecedented volumes of manuscripts, accelerating scientific publishing to meet the acute demands of our communities while maintaining scientific integrity; relevant COVID-19 research and other materials have also been made freely available to the public ix . As Trends editors, we have worked closely with our communities to address aspects of the pandemic, from how it impacts science and scientists to synthesizing the explosion of data in an accessible manner x .

Beyond these points, the pandemic has captured the public's attention and interest, and in response, scientists have used social media to discuss COVID-19 with the public directly. These discussions cover all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as basic immunological concepts with easy-to-follow animations, the science behind the effectiveness of wearing a mask, the effects and myths of vaccination, and even conspiracies on the origin of the virus, to name but a few xi [6, 7] . It is our hope that our communities will continue to contribute to these successful public outreach efforts, even after we emerge from this pandemic. Additionally, it is my hope that the empathetic communication, the support of each other, and the love shared during these trying times remains indefinitely.

All said, these efforts have led, and continue to lead, to astounding scientific achievements. From sequencing the SARS-CoV-2 genome, to solving the protein structures of the virus and host factors involved in viral entry, to characterizing the methods of transmission of the virus, and to continued genomic surveillance of new viral variants, our communities continue to work tirelessly and collaboratively to characterize and develop tools to combat the pandemic. Nations with the means to do so are investing an incredible amount of funding into COVID-19 research, helping to streamline clinical trials and expedite approvals for life-saving therapies and vaccines. The collective effort, unity, and collaboration on a global scale renders it possible to move therapies from bench to bedside and is the ultimate reminder that we are 'all in this together'. As the pandemic continues to run its uncertain course, we will prevail by remembering what we have all experienced, witnessed, and endured over these past 2 years, whether apart or together.

Resources i www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/keyworkers-july-2020-issue-british-vogue ii www.gov.uk/government/news/ukaeas-helping-hand-for-the-nhs Trends in Biochemical Sciences iii https://cen.acs.org/safety/lab-safety/Getting-back-lab-during-COVID-19/98/i19 iv www.science.org/content/article/pandemic-pivot-how-scientists-answered-call-diagnostic-tests v www.bordertelegraph.com/news/national/18826659.pandemic-threatens-research-early-career-scientists-look-leave/ vi https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/18/health/coronavirus-research-gender-bias-scn/index.html vii www.forbes.com/sites/ashleystahl/2021/04/02/struggles-for-working-parents-are-likely-to-remain-post-pandemic/?sh= 437133ed6856 viii www.cell.com/trends/voices ix www.cell.com/COVID-19 x www.cell.com/trends/collections/apart-together-pandemic xi www.the-scientist.com/careers/science-and-policy-collide-during-the-pandemic-67882

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Trends in Biochemical Sciences, December 2021, Vol. 46, No. 12 949