As with all previous outbreaks of new virus infections, we are being warned of impending doom concerning the new coronavirus, 2019-nCoV that is now spreading globally. China€™s National Health Commission Vice Minister Li Bin recently warned that ‘there is the possibility of viral mutation€™. Perhaps Mr. Li is unaware that viral genomes sustain mutations during …
The year 2019 was the second-hottest year on record, closing out the warmest decade. As the temperature rises, ice melts, and out come novel viruses. And there are many viruses frozen in ice, ready to spill out. We know that viruses are frozen in ice: multiple giant viruses have been isolated from the 30,000 year …
by Gertrud U. Rey Bacteria use at least a couple of pathways for protecting themselves against viral infection. In return, multiple viral strategies for inhibiting or evading these pathways have evolved.
This week I attended the Nipah Virus International Conference in Singapore, marking the discovery of the virus 20 years ago. It€™s an opportune time to recall the events around the emergence of this deadly pathogen.
by Gertrud U. Rey It is cold outside. My throat is scratchy, I can’t stop sneezing, and I have a runny nose. These are the typical symptoms of a human rhinovirus (HRV) infection, better known as the common cold. The average adult suffers from two to four colds a year, while the average child can …
Adenovirus associated virus (AAV) vectors are being increasingly used for gene therapy because they are not pathogenic in humans and persist for long periods in certain cell types. Currently 120 gene delivery clinical trials with these vectors are in progress, and two have been approved: Luxturna to treat a rare form of blindness, and another …
An ancestral vector improves on this year€™s model Read More »
