Scientists Martin Michaelis and Mark Wass reflect on how COVID-19 has driven public interest in their work and inspired them to start blogging.<\/p>\n
We run a joint computational\/ wet laboratory and are working on topics in the areas of cancer,\u00a0viruses, and research practices in the life sciences. Since these are topics that\u00a0many\u00a0are interested in\u00a0and that can be relatively easily communicated to the public, we complement our research articles with news releases directed at\u00a0journalists,\u00a0and\u00a0contribute to outreach activities.<\/p>\n
With the onset of\u00a0the\u00a0COVID-19\u00a0pandemic, the\u00a0public and\u00a0media\u00a0interest into our virus-related work\u00a0and expertise\u00a0dramatically increased, partly because we have been engaged in research on SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, very early on after the disease was\u00a0first\u00a0reported.\u00a0This resulted in\u00a0considerable media attention,\u00a0mostly as experts, who\u00a0explain biological detail\u00a0and to a lesser extent\u00a0counter misinformation.\u00a0This has also prompted us to write a blog.<\/p>\n
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We enjoy the interaction with a wider public, but the level of engagement is very much driven by the acute public interest.\u00a0Hence, we will have to see how this will develop\u00a0in the future,\u00a0when COVID-19 is no\u00a0longer\u00a0top of the agenda.\u00a0We will keep communicating our research results via various routes to the public, and it would be\u00a0pleasing\u00a0if an increased\u00a0public\u00a0interest into scientific and health topics\u00a0extends beyond the current pandemic.<\/p>\n
What we have realised in the pandemic is that there is little understanding in the public of how the scientific approach works, of how scientific results are communicated (via journal articles and other means), and how evidence develops. This includes unrealistic expectations of what we\u00a0know\u00a0and\u00a0what we do not\u00a0know. It would be\u00a0good\u00a0if there was a way to increase the understanding and awareness of the prospects and limitations of our scientific endeavour. This would enable people to\u00a0assess\u00a0and interpret\u00a0the meaning of research findings in a more informed way,\u00a0in particular at\u00a0times,\u00a0such as during\u00a0a pandemic,\u00a0when scientific\u00a0results from research articles, preprints,\u00a0and personal communications of academic scientists and companies are reported in real time\u00a0and largely unfiltered\u00a0by the general media.<\/p>\n
Further information:<\/p>\n
Professor Martin Michaelis – School of Biosciences – University of Kent<\/a><\/p>\n Dr Mark Wass – School of Biosciences – University of Kent<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/wass-michaelislab\/<\/a><\/p>\n