Learn about our plans and enjoy El País without limits.If you are already a subscriber you can login with your username and password.This Wednesday the first images of the coronavirus that were taken in Uruguay, more precisely in Rocha, were known, the rector of the University of the Republic (UdelaR), Rodrigo Arim, reported through his Twitter account.Obtaining the "photograph" of the virus was possible thanks to the electronic microscope that is located in the Rocha headquarters of the Eastern Regional University Center (CURE) of the university.The image was taken by Professor Álvaro Olivera, a graduate in Biochemistry and a specialist in High Resolution Electron Microscopy, from samples sent from Salto."When one dedicates himself or sets himself the goal of seeing the virus, it is not just to see it. A technique is perfected that allows us to later identify it, or carry out tests, or monitor treatments and see how effective they are on the virus. Speaking in Creole : if I throw a drug at it and neutralize it, see that I can really break it," Olivera explained to El País.The expert said that starting next week they will have meetings with members of different institutes, including the Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, to "diagram a project" and see how they continue, he said.In addition, he pointed out that with this electron microscope technique, which allows the viral particle to be seen, treatments aimed at modifying the structure of the virus could be controlled and whether they had the expected effect.Asked if these images show a "Uruguayan particle" of the virus, Olivera explained that they do not, since "if there is no phenotypic change (in the form of the virus due to variability in its genetics) they would all be the same."However, he clarified that "as there are mutations or changes, there may be changes in structure and it could look different."First images of the coronavirus taken in Uruguay.Captured with the electron microscope at the Rocha headquarters of CURE- UdelaR by Professor @alvaroanalytics from samples sent by the virology laboratory of the North Litoral University Center (1/2) pic.twitter.com/68ap2nqvwPThe samples were extracted by Professor Viviana Bortagaray from the virology laboratory, Salto headquarters of the North Litoral Regional University Center, reported Arim.This is a "clear and tangible example of the university's commitment to development throughout the country. First-rate scientific infrastructures, some of which are unique on a national scale," said the rector in his publication."Qualified professors committed to a quality university, decentralized and on the move," he added.To comment on the news you must log in with the username and password chosen at the time of registration.If you are not registered yet, you can do so by entering User RegistrationDo not you remember your password?you can access Reset PasswordFrom this point you enter a virtual environment intended for the responsible exercise of freedom of expression.The messages will be instantly visible and will not be supervised by the El País newsroom.It is a self-regulated space for readers, who have mechanisms to report abusive use of it.Zelmar Michelini 1287, CP.11100, Montevideo, Uruguay.Copyright ® EL PAIS SA 1918 - 2022We think you are using an ad blocker and we want to tell you that advertising is one of our ways of generating income for doing journalismIt's usually in the upper-right corner of the screen.You may have more than one ad blocker installed.You may need to select an option from a menu or click a button.