The Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) awarded a COVID-19 research grant to ITM’s virologists to study whether antibodies protect against new COVID-19 infection. The team collaborated with the University of Antwerp and Sciensano to look at antibody responses in COVID-19 patients, investigated whether the antibodies can neutralise the virus, mapped the longevity of antibody responses and the functionality of the antibody-producing memory B-cells which are essential to quickly mount antibody numbers upon re-exposure.

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