In accordance with a deal signed between the Jack Ma foundation and Columbia University, the 15 million yuan will be used for supporting a research project led by Dr David Ho, a world-renowned HIV/AIDS researcher with the university, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, with Wuhan as the epicenter, Ho and many researchers at Columbia University have been following the situation closely and started related work to combat the virus, the report said. In support of the cooperation project, Columbia University has set up a multidisciplinary team involving professionals in virology, molecular biology and chemistry who proposed four different new solutions to tame the pathogen, according to the source. China's richest man, 55-year-old Jack, is the co-founder and former executive chairman of the Chinese multinational technology conglomerate Alibaba group. The virus outbreak originated in China's Hubei province in December and has spread to more than 25 countries, including India.

Source: Mint February 21, 2020 14:03 UTC