Michael Rossmann, 88
Michael Rossmann, a leader in the use of X-ray crystallography and cry-electron microscopy to solve the structure of viruses, died on 14 May 2019 at the age of 88.
Basic virology
A risky vaccine
by Gertrud U. Rey Dengue fever, caused by dengue virus (DENV), is of substantial public health significance in the tropics, where the virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Last week the FDA announced its approval of a first vaccine for the prevention of dengue disease in endemic areas.
Hepatitis delta-like virus in birds and snakes
Hepatitis D virus is a unique human pathogen. With a circular, negative stranded RNA genome of ~1700 nucleotides, it is the smallest known human virus. Formation of the HDV particle depends on co-infection of cells with a helper virus, hepatitis B virus. Once thought to be specific for humans, related viruses have now been identified …
Complementing neutralization of viruses by antibodies
Viral infection of vertebrates leads to the production of antibodies, and some of these can block virus infection by a process that is called neutralization. Antibodies can neutralize viral infectivity in a number of ways: they may impair virus entry into cells, and even cause degradation of the capsid in the cytoplasm. A newly discovered …
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Immunize mother to protect baby
When we are born, our blood contains antibodies that we have inherited from our mothers. They are transferred across the placenta and provide protection from infection until IgG production begins around 15 weeks after birth. Can we exploit such antibody transfer by vaccinating pregnant mothers to protect newborns against infectious diseases that occur early after …
An advocate for vaccines
by Gertrud U. Rey In 1998, a British doctor named Andrew Wakefield published a paper in the British journal The Lancet. In this paper, Wakefield implied that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may cause developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The paper received wide publicity, and subsequently, MMR vaccination rates began …