Announcement regarding coronavirus and the precautions taken at the Institute of Neurogenetics

Dear members of the Institute of Neurogenetics and dear visitors of our website,

During the Covid-19 pandemic, laboratory research activities at the Institute of Neurogenetics are focusing on critical experiments mandatory for the maintenance of the Drosophila and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) resources. Other regular research activities are being carried out in Home office and all meetings of the Institute are held as video conferences.

Human studies and cohort recruitment have been discontinued until further notice. We are working on developing solutions for patients already enrolled in ongoing clinical trials.

Access to the laboratories and offices of the Institute of Neurogenetics has been restricted and is tightly monitored to ensure that no more than two people at a time is present in a laboratory or office room.

Any member of the Institute that is symptomatic, has been in contact with a person who contracted the virus (affected or unaffected) or returned from an at-risk area, has been advised not to come to the Institute and to report to a local doctor or dial 116117.

For current information on the Covid-19 situation in Germany, please visit the following websites: https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/coronavirus.html and https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/nCoV_node.html

Student courses and internships have been suspended until April 19, 2020 (please, see https://www.uni-luebeck.de/aktuelles/nachricht/artikel/hinweise-zum-coronavirus-1.html for additional information). We will inform all students and visitors about their planned research stays with us as soon as possible.

We will continue doing our best to contribute to the care of patients with neurogenetic diseases and to help elucidate their genetic causes and translate our findings into clinical practice.

We would like to thank all members of the team, the University, and our collaborators and funders for their support, thoughtfulness, and flexibility in these unsettling times.

We will be able to overcome this crisis together. Please stay safe and healthy!

Christine Klein on behalf of the Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck