There is a lot to learn from studies like this and it is quite exciting.

從這樣的研究中，我們可以學到很多東西，而且相當令人興奮。

In a world's first challenge trial done at the height of the pandemic researchers in the U.K. infected dozens of healthy unvaccinated adults with a low dose of the original coronavirus.

在大流行病高峰期進行的全球首次挑戰性試驗中，英國的研究人員用低劑量的原始冠狀病毒感染了數十名未接種疫苗的健康成年人。

Then closely tracked how long it took their immune system to kick in.

然後密切跟蹤他們的免疫系統多久才會啟動。

Participants who were infected right away had a slow response.

立即受到感染的參與者反應較慢。

In those who became infected but quickly cleared the virus it was faster.

在那些受到感染但很快就清除了病毒的人中，清除病毒的速度更快。

But those who never became infected had the fastest response.

但那些從未受到感染的人反應最快。

Researchers noted high levels of activity in a specific gene called HLA-DQA2.

研究人員注意到，一種名為 HLA-DQA2 的特定基因具有較高的活性。

Scientists think it helps flag viral invaders to the immune system so quick it destroys them before they can replicate.

科學家認為，它能幫助免疫系統快速識別病毒入侵者，並在其複製之前將其消滅。

This work is really special in the point in the middle.

這件作品的特別之處在於中間的一點。

Immunologists say they're still not sure how or why that specific gene offers protection.

免疫學家說，他們仍不清楚這種特定基因如何或為何能提供保護。

If you would ask me to bet money on what the genes that were going to be involved with the protection these are not the ones I would have chosen.

如果你讓我打賭哪些基因與保護有關，我不會選擇這些基因。

I feel lucky.

我感到很幸運。

We met Hugh Potter in 2022.

我們在 2022 年遇到了休-波特。

He was exposed to COVID through his wife but never got sick.

他通過妻子接觸到了 COVID，但從未生病。

His DNA is part of ongoing research.

他的 DNA 是正在進行的研究的一部分。

Potter now wonders if that gene's protecting him.

波特現在在想，這個基因是不是在保護他。

They do have a gene which could mean in the future possible cures for people from maybe more than just the virus.

他們確實擁有一種基因，這意味著將來可能治癒的不僅僅是病毒。

Doctors who've been collecting DNA samples from people like Potter say while the UK study is helpful there are more genetic secrets to unravel.

一直在收集像波特這樣的人的 DNA 樣本的醫生說，雖然英國的研究很有幫助，但還有更多的基因祕密有待揭開。

It puts an anchor in the ground and says we got to look at this and everything around it so that's how these major discoveries are made.

它在地面上拋下一個錨，然後說我們必須觀察這裡和周圍的一切，所以這些重大發現就是這樣產生的。

All of the scientists we spoke with said while there are new variants and much more research is needed this gene could help invent new vaccines to target COVID and possibly other respiratory viruses too.

我們採訪過的所有科學家都說，雖然存在新的變種，還需要進行更多的研究，但這種基因可以幫助發明針對 COVID 和其他呼吸道病毒的新疫苗。

Christine Birak, CBC News, Toronto.

Christine Birak，CBC 新聞，多倫多。