Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

BiondVax to begin Phase IIb clinical trial of universal influenza vaccine in Europe

BiondVax Pharmaceuticals Ltd. announced today that it received regulatory clearance from the Hungarian Regulatory Authority (National Institute of Pharmacology and Nutrition, OGYEI) and the Central Ethics Committee in Budapest to initiate a Phase IIb clinical trial. The initiation meeting was scheduled for today, September 30, 2015, together with the partners from the UNISEC European Consortium.

30 Sep 2015

New test identifies viruses that infect people and animals

A new test detects virtually any virus that infects people and animals, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where the technology was developed.

30 Sep 2015

New gene therapy approach to treating DMD reduces symptoms, extends life span in mouse model

A gene therapy approach to treating the progressive muscle wasting disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) that does not replace the mutated DMD gene but instead delivers the gene for ITGA7, a protein in skeletal muscle, led to reduced symptoms and significantly extended life span in a mouse model of severe DMD. Over-expression of ITGA7 did not elicit an immune reaction, further supporting its potential as a novel treatment for DMD, according to a new study published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

30 Sep 2015

Polio no more in Nigeria, WHO says

The World Health Organization announced today that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria. This is the first time that Nigeria has interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus, bringing the country and the African region closer than ever to being certified polio-free.

29 Sep 2015

Unique molecule can bind HIV-infected cells to killer T cells

A unique molecule developed at Duke Medicine, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MacroGenics, Inc., is able to bind HIV-infected cells to the immune system's killer T cells. It could become a key part of a shock-and-kill strategy being developed in the hope of one day clearing HIV infection.

29 Sep 2015

Real-time blood test based on DNA sequencing can rapidly diagnose Ebola and other acute infections

Using technical advances not yet developed when the 2014 Ebola outbreak began, UC San Francisco-led scientists completed a proof-of-principle study on a real-time blood test based on DNA sequencing that can be used to rapidly diagnose Ebola and other acute infections. The researchers said that the test can be used even where lab space and medical infrastructure are scarce.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 29 Sep 2015

New study broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus

A new study of influenza infection in an animal model broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus, showing that the process is more dynamic than usually described, engaging a broader array of biological pathways. The researchers say their findings may offer key insights for designing more effective vaccines in general.

29 Sep 2015

Specialized proteins can inhibit HIV

There is little doubt that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is devastating. More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV and more than 47,000 people are diagnosed annually. Now, University of Missouri researchers have made a discovery in how specialized proteins can inhibit the virus, opening the door for progress in the fight against HIV and for the production of advanced therapeutics to combat the disease.

29 Sep 2015

Interaction between rhinovirus and nasal microbiota in early life persists over time

The interaction between infections and the microbiota during infancy in the lungs could help provide clues to disease development later in life, according to the findings of a new study.

28 Sep 2015

Polio no more in Nigeria, WHO says

WHO announced today that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria. This is the first time that Nigeria has interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus, bringing the country and the African region closer than ever to being certified polio-free.

26 Sep 2015

Annual flu vaccine may offer protection regardless of any viral strain, says Penn State physician

Every year at this time, we hear it's time to get the flu shot. After last year's vaccine missed the mark, how does the Center for Disease Control regain the public's confidence that their predictions will hold up this year? With the facts.

26 Sep 2015

Soft palate study reveals how flu viruses acquire the ability to move between people

National Institutes of Health scientists and their colleagues identified a previously unappreciated role for the soft palate during research to better understand how influenza (flu) viruses acquire the ability to move efficiently between people.

26 Sep 2015

H7N9 influenza vaccine failure may be due to immune camouflage, study reveals

The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus has been a major concern since the first outbreak in China in 2013. Due to its high rate of lethality and pandemic potential, H7N9 vaccine development has become a priority for public health officials. However, candidate vaccines have failed to elicit the strong immune responses necessary to protect from infection.

25 Sep 2015

Researchers develop new blood test to diagnose coeliac disease

Diagnosis of coeliac disease requires a tissue sample from the small intestine, which can be extremely unpleasant. Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine have developed a blood test which provides a rapid, painless answer.

25 Sep 2015

DNA nanostructures provide novel applications in molecular medicine

Researchers from Aalto University have published an article in the recent Trends in Biotechnology journal. The article discusses how DNA molecules can be assembled into tailored and complex nanostructures, and further, how these structures can find uses in therapeutics and bionanotechnological applications.

25 Sep 2015

Researchers develop chip-based instrument for reliable detection of Ebola virus

A team led by researchers at UC Santa Cruz has developed chip-based technology for reliable detection of Ebola virus and other viral pathogens. The system uses direct optical detection of viral molecules and can be integrated into a simple, portable instrument for use in field situations where rapid, accurate detection of Ebola infections is needed to control outbreaks.

25 Sep 2015

Florida Institute finalizes funding agreement with Aviana

The Florida Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research announced today that it has finalized a funding agreement with Aviana Molecular Technologies, an Orlando-based company with technology developed at the University of Central Florida.

24 Sep 2015

Researchers reveal potential new treatment methods for fatal brain disease

Researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital Zurich reveal possible new treatment methods for a rare, usually fatal brain disease. Thanks to their discovery that specific antibodies play a key role in combating the viral infection, a vaccine against the disease "progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy" could now be developed.

24 Sep 2015

Soft palate plays key role in viruses' ability to spread

Flu viruses come in many strains, and some are better equipped than others to spread from person to person. Scientists have now discovered that the soft palate -- the soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth -- plays a key role in viruses' ability to travel through the air from one person to another.

24 Sep 2015

TSRI scientists awarded grant from Gates Foundation to develop revolutionary alternative HIV/AIDS vaccine

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have been awarded up to nearly $6 million dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a revolutionary HIV/AIDS alternative vaccine that has demonstrated great potential in animal models.

23 Sep 2015

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

BiondVax to begin Phase IIb clinical trial of universal influenza vaccine in Europe

New test identifies viruses that infect people and animals

New gene therapy approach to treating DMD reduces symptoms, extends life span in mouse model

Polio no more in Nigeria, WHO says

Unique molecule can bind HIV-infected cells to killer T cells

Real-time blood test based on DNA sequencing can rapidly diagnose Ebola and other acute infections

New study broadens understanding of how the immune system responds to flu virus

Specialized proteins can inhibit HIV

Interaction between rhinovirus and nasal microbiota in early life persists over time

Polio no more in Nigeria, WHO says

Annual flu vaccine may offer protection regardless of any viral strain, says Penn State physician

Soft palate study reveals how flu viruses acquire the ability to move between people

H7N9 influenza vaccine failure may be due to immune camouflage, study reveals

Researchers develop new blood test to diagnose coeliac disease

DNA nanostructures provide novel applications in molecular medicine

Researchers develop chip-based instrument for reliable detection of Ebola virus

Florida Institute finalizes funding agreement with Aviana

Researchers reveal potential new treatment methods for fatal brain disease

Soft palate plays key role in viruses' ability to spread

TSRI scientists awarded grant from Gates Foundation to develop revolutionary alternative HIV/AIDS vaccine

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production