Fighting COVID-19 with 10 new research projects

EUR 2.2 million allocated by the AXA Research Fund to 10 projects for a science-based response to COVID-19, with a focus on vulnerable populations, mental health and crisis monitoring.

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The AXA Research Fund details 10 innovative projects that have received a EUR 2.2 million funding in AXA Award grants. This support completes the allocation of an exceptional EUR 5 million COVID-19 research commitment announced last April and brings the Fund’s total infectious disease and pandemic research funding to EUR 13 million.

These ten innovative projects were selected by the AXA Research Fund Scientific Board out of 513 applications from top-tier universities in 57 countries. The research will examine wastewater testing, blockchain and machine learning to develop new treatments, COVID-19’s impact on vulnerable populations and its effects on mental health.

In addition to this funding, EUR 1.8 million was deployed as emergency support in early spring 2020 to develop diagnostics, therapy and treatments for the virus through partnerships with the Institut Pasteur COVID-19 Task Force, the OPEN COVID 19 research platform by Just One Giant Lab, the Billion Molecules against Covid Challenge by Joint European Disruptive Initiative, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale and Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris. A further EUR 1 million is earmarked for a major research project to study the phenomena of contagion in a leading European University and will be unveiled soon.

Marie Bogataj

AXA Research Fund & Group Foresight Director

Through the AXA Research Fund, the AXA Group has been able to deploy substantial and accelerated funding to combat COVID-19. These ten new projects are a major part of our effort and will provide valuable responses to current – but also future- crises through a multidisciplinary approach to the manifold effects of COVID-19 on society.