Corona research crowdfunder attracts media attention
Within a month, the Wake Up to Corona crowdfunding campaign had already raised 600,000 euros for corona research in Leiden. The goal is to raise enough money for the LUMC to set up a second laboratory that is safe enough for research into the new virus. The initiative has not escaped the attention of the media.
NRC: Donations pour in for corona lab at Leiden University
The Wake up to Corona campaign has already raised over 600,000 euros. The goal: two million euros to make a second lab secure enough for research into the novel coronavirus. With grant applications, plans for extra labs are often left stranded, says Professor of Molecular Virology Eric Snijder. ‘Researchers are unlikely to fund a logistical project such as this. And applying for grants takes a lot of time.’ Three universities in the Netherlands focus on coronaviruses: Leiden, Utrecht and Rotterdam. ‘We all approach the research from a different angle, so we don’t tread on each other’s toes. In our lab, we are also testing a lot of drugs that other institutions and companies send us asking whether we can see if they work against SARS-CoV-2.’
Read more in NRC Handelsblad (in Dutch)
NOS: Donating because holiday plans cancelled
Thousands of people have donated online to coronavirus research at Leiden University. ‘I get the impression that people are pleased to be able to help in some way,’ says Snijder. This is also clear from the responses from donors on the fundraising page. Snijder feels encouraged by the positive responses there. Such as the message from donor Mirelle Grootveld: ‘Deep admiration for the people who are doing this work for all of us. The only support I can provide is financial, so I am only too glad to do so!’ There’s little chance of a holiday this summer, writes one anonymous donor: ‘So it seemed like a good idea to donate the money that I’m saving to fight coronaviruses.’
Read more on NOS.nl (in Dutch)
Goedemorgen Nederland: Strange that crowdfunding is needed for corona vaccine
Leiden Professor of Jurisprudence Afshin Ellian was a guest on Goedemorgen Nederland. The Wake up to Corona also came up. Scientific research often costs a fortune and does not always deliver concrete results. People sometimes have difficulty accepting this, but the conclusion on Goedemorgen Nederland was that it is really strange that a crowdfunding campaign is needed to fund research into a possible corona vaccine.
Watch the clip from Goedemorgen Nederland
The Wake up to Corona crowdfunder didn’t escape the attention of local media either: Omroep West, Sleutelstad and Unity to name but a few. The campaign was also covered in Margriet, in Vakblad Fondsenwerving and on Linda.nl.