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UrduThe Harvard Medical School-led Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness will play a central role in genomic surveillance and education on emerging and novel pathogens under a new $25 million CDC grant awarded to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to establish the New England Pathogen Genomics Center of Excellence (PGCoE).
Tag: Virus
COVID-19 virus-human protein network provides new tools and strategies for screening host-targeting therapies
A Cleveland Clinic-led research team used artificial intelligence to map out hundreds of ways that the virus that causes COVID-19 interacts with infected cells. Through this analysis, they identified potential COVID-19 medicines within thousands of drugs already approved by the FDA for other treatments.
The research focused on host-targeting therapies, which operate differently from other antivirals by disrupting the mechanisms viruses use to multiply and survive, rather than just blocking specific proteins within the cell. The research, published in Nature Biotechnology, presents a network called an “interactome,” the interactions between COVID-19 virus proteins and host cell proteins.
Smoking increases the risk of illness and viral infection, including type of coronavirus
New findings published in the Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal by UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer tobacco researchers may lead to urgent recommendations for doctors to help patients quit smoking as a way of countering COVID-19.
Cleveland Clinic Researchers Discover New Signal for Triggering Human Immune Response
Researchers from Cleveland Clinic’s Florida Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) found that disruption of a cellular structure, known as the actin cytoskeleton, is a “priming signal” for the body to respond to a virus. These findings, published in Cell this week, potentially lay the groundwork for development of new anti-viral vaccines and treatments.
RESEARCHERS DEVELOP PLASTIC FILM THAT CAN KILL VIRUSES USING ROOM LIGHTS
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have developed a ground-breaking plastic film that can kill viruses that land on its surface with room light.
Can people be infected with monkeypox through airborne transmission? Q&A with an immunologist.
Mark Cameron, PhD is an associate professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and member of the American Association of Immunologists and American Society for Virology. Dr. Cameron’s research experience focuses on population health, virus outbreaks and…
Texas Biomed tapped for national ‘Dream Team’ developing antivirals against COVID-19 and other threats
Texas Biomedical Research Institute Professor Luis Martinez-Sobrido, PhD, an expert in virology, vaccines and antiviral research, has been recruited to collaborate with three of the nine Antiviral Drug Discovery (AViDD) Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern announced by NIH this spring.
Study explores unusual interaction between viruses, live vaccines
A study of a herpes virus that infects chickens offers new insights into potentially problematic interactions between vaccines made from live viruses and the viruses they are meant to thwart.
New universal flu vaccine offers broad protection against influenza A virus infections, researchers find
A new universal flu vaccine constructed with key parts of the influenza virus offers broad cross protection against different strains and subtypes of influenza A viruses in young and aged populations, according to a new study by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.
Immune Molecules From a Llama Could Provide Protection Against a Vast Array of SARS-like Viruses Including COVID-19, Researchers Say
Mount Sinai-led researchers have shown that tiny, robust immune particles derived from the blood of a llama could provide strong protection against every COVID-19 variant, including Omicron, and 18 similar viruses.
SEIR Model to Address the Impact of Face Masks amid COVID-19 Pandemic
When vaccines are not available, alternative strategies are required to decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Behavior of the population and government regulations, such as hand hygiene, quarantine of exposed persons, isolation of symptomatic persons, and travel restriction, play an essential role in…
Gene Sequencing an Important Tool in COVID-19 Battle
Researchers use gene sequencing to combat COVID-19.
Academia, Pharma Team up to Discover New Drugs in Fight Against SARS-CoV-2, Viruses of the Future
Consortium of Hackensack Meridian CDI, Rockefeller University, Columbia University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rutgers University, Merck, Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, Inc., and Aligos Therapeutics to combine expertise to ‘accelerate’ new breakthroughs
Infectious disease doctor answers questions about the monkeypox virus
The growing concern of recent outbreaks of the rare monkeypox virus reported in the U.S. and abroad have health authorities monitoring transmission rates and keeping a close eye on the emerging issue. Charles Schleupner, a professor of internal medicine who…
San Antonio scientists staying one step ahead of emerging pathogens
Four San Antonio research institutes are collaborating to develop treatments against Nipah virus before it spreads. The World Health Organization has named Nipah virus a priority disease in need of urgent research and development because no approved vaccines or treatments exist.
Einstein-Developed Treatment Strategy May Lead to HIV Cure
Armed with a novel strategy they developed for bolstering the body’s immune response, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have successfully suppressed HIV infections in mice—offering a path to a functional cure for HIV and other chronic viral infections. Their findings were published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Michigan State University leading global COVID-19 wastewater monitoring effort
As public health leaders worldwide scramble to contain COVID-19’s delta variant, researchers at Michigan State University know what can provide early signs of the virus and help with critical decisions — sewage.
What if just one airborne particle was enough to infect you?
For some diseases, people exposed to just a single airborne particle containing infectious virus, bacteria or fungi can be infected. When this happens, understanding and predicting airborne disease spread can be a whole lot easier. That’s the result of a new study by a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist who developed a new theory of airborne infectious disease spread.
Homemade Face Masks Work; Effectiveness Varies Depending on How They Are Made
In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science studied the fate of a large-sized surrogate cough droplets at different velocities, corresponding from mild to severe, while using various locally procured fabrics as masks.
Hunting Down The Mutations That Cause Cancer Drug Resistance
Using a virus to purposely mutate genes that produce cancer-driving proteins could shed light on the resistance that inevitably develops to cancer drugs that target them, a new study led by UT Southwestern scientists suggests. The findings, published online in Cancer Research, could help researchers develop drugs that circumvent resistance, validate new drug targets, or better understand the interaction between drugs and their target proteins.
LEDs Light the Way to Coronavirus Disinfection
LEDs are commonly used for sterilization, and in the continued effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, LEDs can also help inactivate SARS-CoV-2. A team in Pakistan designed far-ultraviolet LEDs at a targeted wavelength of 222 nanometers, chosen both for its ability to inactivate the virus and for being safe on human skin. They based their design on the material aluminum gallium nitride, part of a set of materials called III-nitrides which are efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.
Avoiding Drug Resistance by Understanding Evolution of Viruses
During ACA’s 71st annual meeting, Celia Schiffer, from the University of Massachusetts, will talk about her lab’s work with virus substrate recognition as a method to avoid drug resistance. Schiffer and her team expanded their work on HIV and the hepatitis C virus to include human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and discovered that designing robust inhibitors to fit within the substrate envelope tips this balance toward decreasing the probability of resistance.
New study details enzyme that allows coronavirus to resist antiviral medications
A new Iowa State University study details the structure of a critical enzyme present in SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This enzyme removes nucleoside antiviral medications from the virus’s RNA, rendering many treatments ineffective. Scientists could use data uncovered in the new study to find ways to inhibit the enzyme, possibly leading to more effective treatments.
2 in 1 Face Mask Against Dust and Virus – Chula Health Innovation in the New Normal
Chula’s Faculty of Engineering joins hands with PTT to develop a 2 in1 face mask, an innovation that protects against PM2.5 dust particles and COVID-19 virus that can be reused more than 15 times, helps reduce waste, is pollution-free, and will be available for sale soon.
Butterfly Effect Can Double Travel of Virus-Laden Droplets
In Physics of Fluids, investigators from the University of Florida and Lebanese American University carried out detailed computer simulations to test a mathematical theory they developed previously. They found nearly identical exhalations could spread in different directions when miniscule initial variations are substantially amplified by turbulence. This is the so-called butterfly effect.
Researchers discover unique ‘spider web’ mechanism that traps, kills viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza
Immunologists at McMaster University have discovered a previously unknown mechanism which acts like a spider web, trapping and killing pathogens such as influenza or SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
Quarenta anos de HIV/AIDS
O mês de junho marca o 40º aniversário do primeiro relatório científico descrevendo a pneumocistose, que depois passou a ser conhecida como síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida (AIDS).
Cuarenta años del VIH y del SIDA
El mes de junio marca el cuadragésimo aniversario del primer informe científico que describió la neumonía por pneumocystis, después conocida como síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida (SIDA).
Trojan horses and tunneling nanotubes: Ebola virus research at Texas Biomed gets NIH funding boost
Scientists have a general idea of how viruses invade and spread in the body, but the precise mechanisms are actually not well understood, especially when it comes to Ebola virus. Olena Shtanko, Ph.D., a Staff Scientist at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), has received more than $1 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore different aspects of Ebola virus infection.
Chula to Accelerate Research on “Rutin” — An Herbal Extract Against COVID-19
Chula researchers have found that “rutin” extract from orange peel can kill the COVID-19 virus. They are developing it into drugs while pointing out that drug research is still necessary along with vaccine research and suggesting that Thai people should adjust their views on herbs to create added value.
New Tech Makes Detecting Airborne Ebola Virus Possible
&T’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center designed and conducted a study to optimize methods for collecting and measuring very small amounts of Ebola virus in the air.
6 important things to know about your COVID-19 vaccine card
Everyone who gets vaccinated for COVID-19 in the U.S. receives a vaccine card. Sarah Lynch, clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Binghamton University, State University of New York, offers insight into why vaccine cards are important and why you…
Scientists Discover How the Body Fights Viruses That Try to Evade the Immune System Response
Scientists have discovered a molecular pathway that counteracts the ability of some viruses to evade the immune response. The findings raise hope in generating better immune responses to viral infections, such as COVID-19, as well as to cancer.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Viral ‘Pandemics’ in Oceans
New Brunswick, N.J. (April 6, 2021) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick microbial oceanographer Kay D. Bidle is available for interviews on the persistent and profound impact of viral infections on algae in the oceans. These infections influence the Earth’s carbon cycle, which helps…
Rush Partners With Abbott to Prepare for Future Pandemics
Rush University Medical Center is the first partner in the United States in the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, an effort led by Abbott to detect future pathogen outbreaks that could become pandemics.
UV light shows promise in mitigation of costly swine virus
Experiments testing the ability of ultraviolet light to stop the spread of a costly virus for pork producers has shown promise, according to an ISU research team. Ultraviolet light analyzed in experiments irradiates aerosolized droplets of the virus that causes porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome. The researchers hope to scale their experiments up to a size comparable to pork production facilities.
Standard water treatment technique removes and inactivates an enveloped virus
Researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology have discovered that a standard water treatment technique, called iron (III) coagulation, and its electrically driven counterpart, iron (0) electrocoagulation, can efficiently remove and inactivate a model enveloped virus.
Mount Sinai Researchers Advance a Universal Influenza Virus Vaccine
A vaccine that induces immune responses to a wide spectrum of influenza virus strains and subtypes has produced strong and durable results in early-stage clinical trials in humans, Mount Sinai researchers have found.
UNLV Immunologist on the Differences Between Two Leading COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates
Millions around the world have waited for news about a COVID-19 vaccine, regarding it as the beginning of the end for the global pandemic and a herald for the eventual return to “normal life.” Recent announcements from pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna that their respective late-stage vaccine trials have shown a 90% or better effectiveness rate have received international applause, excitement furthered with estimates that doses could be ready as early as December.
COVID-19 Virus Survives on Surfaces Within Thin Film
To find out how the COVID-19 virus survives on surfaces, researchers in India are exploring the drying times of thin liquid films that persist on surfaces after most respiratory droplets evaporate. While the drying time of typical respiratory droplets is on the order of seconds, the survival time of the COVID-19 virus was found to be on the order of hours. In Physics of Fluids, the researchers describe how a nanometers-thick liquid film clings to the surface, allowing the virus to survive.
Gut Microbiome Manipulation Could Result from Virus Discovery
Scientists have discovered how a common virus in the human gut infects and takes over bacterial cells – a finding that could be used to control the composition of the gut microbiome, which is important for human health. The Rutgers co-authored research, which could aid efforts to engineer beneficial bacteria that produce medicines and fuels and clean up pollutants, is published in the journal Nature.
ANTIVIRAL DEFENSE FROM THE GUT
Study demonstrates how a subset of common gut bacteria renders mice resistant to viral infections.
Seeking the Most Effective Polymers for Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment, like face masks and gowns, is generally made of polymers. But not much attention is typically given to the selection of polymers used beyond their physical properties. To help with the identification of materials that will bind to a virus and speed its inactivation for use in PPE, researchers have developed a high-throughput approach for analyzing the interactions between materials and viruslike particles. They report their method in the journal Biointerphases.
Pfizer, Moderna news is promising, but billions are unlike to get COVID-19 vaccine for years
In just a week, both Moderna and Pfizer have announced that they have developed effective vaccines against COVID-19 — but how long will it be before everyone has access to them? According to Nicole Hassoun, professor of philosophy at Binghamton…
MTU, UMass researchers preserve viral vaccines without refrigeration
Half of vaccines are wasted annually because they aren’t kept cold. Michigan Tech and UMass Amherst chemical engineers have discovered a way to stabilize viruses in vaccines with proteins instead of temperature.
Study Finds 1.7 Million New Yorkers Have Been infected with SARS-Cov-2 and Virus was in NYC Earlier than Reported
The virus that causes COVID-19 was present in New York City long before the city’s first case of the disease was confirmed on March 1
Microfluidics helps MTU engineers watch viral infection in real time
Watching a viral infection happen in real time is like a cross between a zombie horror film, paint drying, and a Bollywood epic on repeat. Over a 10-hour span, chemical engineers from Michigan Tech watched viral infections happen with precision inside a microfluidics device and can measure when the infection cycle gets interrupted by an antiviral compound.
Rutgers Expert Available to Discuss Coronavirus Risk from Surfaces, Groceries, Food, Airborne Exposures
New Brunswick, N.J. (Oct. 26, 2020) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Donald W. Schaffner is available for interviews on the likelihood of getting infected by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus via surfaces, groceries, eating food and airborne/aerosol transmission. “Current evidence still indicates that risk from surfaces remains…
Computational Study Reveals How Ebola Nucleocapsid Stabilizes
Scientists at the University of Delaware report a computational study of a nucleocapsid found in the Ebola virus and show that the binding of the ssRNA allows the nucleocapsid to maintain its shape and structural integrity.
Jennifer Doudna Wins 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Biochemist Jennifer Doudna, a professor at UC Berkeley and faculty scientist at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), is co-winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for “the development of a method for genome editing.”