A team of researchers have identified why some people with Covid-19 fare well, while the others end up in critical care. The team from NYU Abu Dhabi investigated the association between microRNAs, a class of small RNA molecules that regulate genes, and Covid severity among 259 unvaccinated Covid patients living in Abu Dhabi.

The findings, published in the journal Human Genomics, showed microRNAs that are associated with a weakened immune response and admission to ICU. "This study demonstrates that microRNAs are promising biomarkers for disease severity, more broadly, and targets for therapeutic interventions," said Youssef Idaghdour, Associate Professor of Biology at the varsity.