Prominent molecular biologist Alina Chan has raised alarms regarding the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), alleging that scientists from the institution have relocated to Guangzhou to conduct further novel coronavirus experiments. These experiments reportedly involve infecting human cells, organoids, and mice with "enhanced chimeric bat coronaviruses" at Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) facilities, a lower containment level than typically recommended for such research.
According to a recent tweet by Alina Chan, a scientific advisor at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, "Wuhan Institute of Virology scientists relocated to Guangzhou, conducted more novel coronavirus experiments, infected human cells, organoids & mice with enhanced chimeric bat coronaviruses at BSL-2 (not a high containment lab)." Chan's tweet further claims that a U.S. Journal of Virology published this work. This assertion reignites long-standing debates about the safety protocols and transparency surrounding high-risk virological research.
Previous collaborations between the WIV and U.S. institutions, notably with Dr. Ralph Baric of the University of North Carolina, have involved the creation of chimeric coronaviruses capable of infecting human cells. A 2015 study co-authored by Baric and Shi Zhengli from WIV, published in Nature Medicine, detailed the engineering of a bat coronavirus spike protein into a SARS-like backbone, demonstrating its ability to infect human airway cells. This work, conducted partly at BSL-2, drew criticism from some experts regarding the potential risks.
The classification of Biosafety Level 2 for experiments involving "enhanced chimeric bat coronaviruses" is a central point of concern. BSL-2 facilities are designed for work with agents that pose moderate hazards to personnel and the environment, while more dangerous pathogens typically require BSL-3 or BSL-4 containment. Critics argue that conducting gain-of-function research or experiments with potentially pandemic-capable viruses in BSL-2 settings significantly increases the risk of accidental release.
Alina Chan has been a vocal advocate for investigating the origins of COVID-19, often highlighting the possibility of a lab leak and scrutinizing research practices at the WIV. Her previous statements and co-authored book, "Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19," have consistently called for greater transparency and stricter oversight of virological research, particularly concerning experiments that enhance the transmissibility or pathogenicity of viruses. The alleged new research in Guangzhou, if confirmed, would intensify these calls for international scrutiny and standardized biosafety regulations.