Trump signed an executive order banning federal funds for ‘gain of function’ research abroad The research alters viruses to increase transmissibility or severity in the name of preparedness Scientists ...

Despite the importance of GoF modifications, they have sometimes faced misplaced concerns or opposition that could lead to their being overregulated or even banned.

Gain-of-function research became especially controversial and politically polarized during the COVID-19 pandemic. One theory states the SARS-CoV-2 virus spilled out of a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan, ...

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) The term “gain of function” is often taken to refer to research with viruses that puts ...