On Mar. 30, 2020, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator David Baker created new proteins tailor-made for specific tasks. The University of Washington team  began hunting for proteins that might stop the novel coronavirus ( SARS-CoV-2) from infecting human cells – and they enlisted citizen scientists to help via a free computer game called Foldit.

Foldit players around the world compete to solve protein puzzles digitally, designing molecules with certain specs. Scientists are now challenging players to design proteins that can glom onto the new coronavirus and block its entry into cells. Such proteins could potentially be developed into antiviral drugs, to lessen the severity of patients’ symptoms.