Over these past two years people from all over the world have been desperately looking for any way in which we can alleviate the amount of people that fall severely ill from the deadly virus COVID-19. Recently, Elizabethtown College alumna Christina Angelucci worked to find solutions we’ve all been hoping for, serving as lead researcher for a new treatment for COVID-19. The research that was done was a part of the I-SPY COVID-19 trial, working with patients in critical condition due to COVID-19 and giving them a series of treatments hoping that it will alleviate their suffering and allow them to recover from the disease.
Angelucci, who graduated from the College in 2018, notes the experiences she has had at Etown as being a significant part of her ability to do well in this position. She said to the College as a part of this experience, “If it wasn’t for the relationships I cultivated at Etown, I wouldn’t know some of my most valuable strengths that I now carry through when speaking to patients, coworkers and physicians.” During her time at Etown, Angelucci spent time working as a teaching assistant, tutor and liaison for the biology department.
Angelucci is working with the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research as a part of Main Line Health in order to conduct this research. This institution is seen as being perfect, due to its research being designed specifically to complete accredited projects and research. The Lankenau Institute for Medical Research has been working for over 100 years working to have an impact that disease has on the population in situations very similar to the situation we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. The treatment that is administered as a part of the I-SPY trial is a series of four different drugs, all of which are expected to help patients in different ways to fight off COVID-19. These drugs include remdesivir (an antiviral drug), dexamethasone (a steroid medication) and tocilizumab or baricitinib (immunomodulating drugs). The aim of the study is to determine which, if any, of these drugs are effective in treating COVID-19, making a huge difference in the ability for healthcare professionals to properly treat their patients.
The research will provide 80 percent of all participants with treatment and 20 percent of participants will be a part of the control group.
The drugs being administered that are found to be minimally or not effective will be removed from the study. Only drugs which are found to be promising in leading to patients recovering from the virus will continue to be a part of the study. Those drugs that are found to be effective continue to be studied to have a better idea of just how effective those drugs are. Once the drugs are found to be effective they will be administered to regular patient care in hopes of helping them fight their battle against COVID-19.
Angelucci also offered advice to current students saying to utilize all of the opportunities they have to offer, “The best thing I did while at Etown was understand that I went to a small school for a reason, and that was to absorb all it had to offer.” The College has expressed their pride and gratitude towards Angelucci in her efforts of fighting this virus and trying to find a treatment, working toward a solution for those who have fallen ill all over the world. COVID-19 has proven to be a collective issue, Angelucci as well as other health professionals have aided the world’s effort in ending the pandemic.
