As cases of COVID-19 climb steeply and Quebec society grounds to a near halt, with all but essential services closed for weeks, the need to find treatments and ultimately a cure for the novel coronavirus is growing increasingly urgent. The gifts from The Hewitt Foundation, the late Elspeth McConnell, and the Trottier Family Foundation will allow the MUHC to rapidly launch critical research projects to end this virus, provide essential resources to isolated patients and support the tireless efforts of its hospital staff. The MUHC, together in partnership with McGill University, has been at the forefront of the fight against infectious diseases for years. In 2017, the McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4) brought together over 250 researchers and 5,000 staff to address the threat of infection, and the next global pandemic.