Molly Smith, El Paso Times Published 8:19 a.m. MT April 9, 2020 | Updated 10:05 a.m. MT April 9, 2020

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As the worldwide coronavirus death toll climbs daily, Dr. Suman Sirimulla feels the pressure that comes with developing a vaccine in real time in the midst of a pandemic.

That pressure, he said, only motivates him to spend as many hours as he can in the lab.

Sirimulla, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, is working to develop the molecular structure of a drug that would target the novel coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19. To do that, he and his team are using a supercomputer to screen billions of molecular compoundsto find ones that could be a match.

"We have some sophisticated algorithms ... where we can design molecules in such a way that they have optimal properties," Sirimulla said. Those properties include reduced toxicity so a vaccine has fewer side effects.

Without the use of a supercomputer, screening billions of molecules would take millions of years.

UTEP's Dr. Suman Sirimulla, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, is working on a vaccine against the coronavirus from his lab.(Photo: Mark Lambie/El Paso Times)

Sirimulla and his team, which consists of UTEP faculty and graduate students, as well as University of New Mexico researchers, believe they can develop a vaccine or antiviral drug within the next 15 to 24 months. While that mightseem like a long timeto a nonscientist, that's actually incredibly fast. It typically takes up to 10 years to develop a new drug.

More: UTEP to assist El Paso health department laboratory test COVID-19 specimens

To speed up the process, the team hasenlisted the help of the general public, who can volunteer to run Sirimulla's application on their personal computers through BOINC@TACC.

"Because of the urgency, we're trying to use all of the resources we have right now," he said.

UTEP's Dr. Suman Sirimulla, an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, is working on a vaccine against the coronavirus from his lab.(Photo: Mark Lambie/El Paso Times)

When researchers find a molecular compound that could inhibit the viral proteins in the coronavirus, UNM's lab, which has samples of the virus, will test its efficacy in combating the disease.

From there, the drug would be tested in animals, and if effective, be put to the test in human clinical trials.

Even if other scientists develop a vaccine before them, Sirimulla and his team will continue their research. Multiple vaccines will be neededbecause a virus has multiple strains, some of which will become vaccine-resistant.

"We need multiple fronts and vaccine," hesaid.

More: Coronavirus cases in El Paso and Texas: Daily statistics on cases, deaths in state

Molly Smith may be reached at 915-546-6413;mksmith@elpasotimes.com; @smithmollykon Twitter.

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UTEP researchers are working to develop a COVID-19 vaccine with the help of a supercomputer - El Paso Times