Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Upstream interventions may provide options to contain emerging pathogens at source

While many endemic infectious diseases of humans have been largely contained, new microbes continue to emerge to threaten human and animal health.

18 Feb 2014

New approach for delivering vaccines and for stimulating body's immune system to attack tumors

Many vaccines, including those for influenza, polio, and measles, consist of a killed or disabled version of a virus. However, for certain diseases, this type of vaccine is ineffective, or just too risky.

18 Feb 2014

Polyplus-transfection grants research license to NIH for PEI-mediated transfection applications

Polyplus-transfection SA, a privately-held company developing innovative technologies for molecular and cellular biology, announces today that it has granted two agencies of the United States National Institutes of Health a non-exclusive, research license to use Polyethylenimine (PEI) for in vitro transfection applications. The two agencies are the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Cancer Institute.

17 Feb 2014

Commonly-used HIV drug kills HPV that leads to cervical cancer

A commonly-used HIV drug has been shown to kill-off the human papilloma virus (HPV) that leads to cervical cancer in a world-first clinical trial led by The University of Manchester with Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi.

17 Feb 2014

Study provides comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships of influenza virus

A new study reconstructing the evolutionary tree of flu viruses challenges conventional wisdom and solves some of the mysteries surrounding flu outbreaks of historical significance.

17 Feb 2014

South African pediatrician receives 2013 Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award from AAAS

Hoosen Coovadia, a South African pediatrician and research scientist, and international authority on HIV/AIDS, particularly mother-to-child transmission, has been named recipient of the 2013 Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

13 Feb 2014

UMMS launches Voyager Therapeutics to develop life-changing treatments for fatal diseases

UMass Medical School (UMMS) recognizes the launch today of Voyager Therapeutics, a gene therapy company founded by four world leaders in the fields of AAV gene therapy, RNA biology and neuroscience, to develop life-changing treatments for fatal and debilitating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

13 Feb 2014

Engineers turn cells common in scar tissue into colonies of beating heart cells

Poets and physicians know that a scarred heart cannot beat the way it used to, but the science of reprogramming cells offers hope--for the physical heart, at least.

13 Feb 2014

Commonly used disinfectants do not kill human papillomavirus, say researchers

Commonly used disinfectants do not kill human papillomavirus (HPV) that makes possible non-sexual transmission of the virus, thus creating a need for hospital policy changes, according to researchers from Penn State College of Medicine and Brigham Young University.

13 Feb 2014

Microbiologists find way to use statins to fight Hantavirus

wo Perelman School of Medicine microbiologists may have found a way to use statins, the well-known blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drugs, to fight the hantavirus, a mysterious and lethal microorganism that appeared suddenly in the US southwest over 20 years ago.

12 Feb 2014

Researchers examine how evolution relates to health

February 12 marks the birth of the 19th century naturalist Charles Darwin, who launched the scientific study of evolution. While Darwin's theory laid the groundwork, ongoing studies have deepened our understanding of evolution, including how it relates to health. Research funded by the National Institutes of Health has helped answer many questions about evolution, health and medicine. Here's a sampling.

12 Feb 2014

Biologists demonstrate highly effective method for delivering HIV-fighting antibodies

In 2011, biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) demonstrated a highly effective method for delivering HIV-fighting antibodies to mice-a treatment that protected the mice from infection by a laboratory strain of HIV delivered intravenously.

12 Feb 2014

Scientists find neutralizing antibodies that protects humanized mice from HIV transmission

NIH-funded scientists have shown that boosting the production of certain broadly neutralizing antibodies can protect humanized mice from both intravenous and vaginal infection with HIV. Humanized mice have immune systems genetically modified to resemble those of humans, making it possible for them to become HIV-infected.

12 Feb 2014

EMT program in human cells may provide an effective approach for treating triple-negative breast cancer

A new study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researcher Peter Zhou shows that targeting Twist, a nuclear protein that is an accelerant of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in human cells, may provide an effective approach for treating triple-negative breast cancer.

12 Feb 2014

Walgreens collaborates with NMAC to improve treatment outcomes for African Americans with HIV

In collaboration with the National Minority AIDS Council, Walgreens is furthering its commitment to improve HIV treatment outcomes for African Americans living with HIV by deepening pharmacists' training and expanding access to the pneumococcal vaccination specifically indicated for persons living with HIV as incidents of flu and pneumonia rise.

11 Feb 2014

Zoetis reports revenue of $1.25 billion for Q4 2013

Zoetis Inc. today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2013. The company reported revenue of $1.25 billion for the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 7% from the fourth quarter of 2012. Revenue reflected an operational increase of 9%, with foreign currency having a negative impact of 2 percentage points.

11 Feb 2014

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

A snapshot of patients who required care at Duke University Hospital during this year's flu season shows that those who had not been vaccinated had severe cases and needed the most intensive treatment.

11 Feb 2014

Study findings suggest potential targets for treating HCV

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a previously unrecognized tactic to outwit antiviral responses and sustain a long-term infection. It also turns out that some people are genetically equipped with a strong countermeasure to the virus' attempt to weaken the attack on it.

11 Feb 2014

Gilead submits NDA to FDA for fixed-dose combination of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for hepatitis C infection

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced that the company has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a once-daily fixed-dose combination of the NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir (LDV) 90 mg and the nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir (SOF) 400 mg for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection in adults.

11 Feb 2014

Long-distance signaling molecules tell brain to produce anti-viral interferon

The brain contains a defense system that prevents at least two unrelated viruses-and possibly many more-from invading the brain at large. The research is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

11 Feb 2014

Virology News and Research

Latest Virology News and Research

Upstream interventions may provide options to contain emerging pathogens at source

New approach for delivering vaccines and for stimulating body's immune system to attack tumors

Polyplus-transfection grants research license to NIH for PEI-mediated transfection applications

Commonly-used HIV drug kills HPV that leads to cervical cancer

Study provides comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary relationships of influenza virus

South African pediatrician receives 2013 Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award from AAAS

UMMS launches Voyager Therapeutics to develop life-changing treatments for fatal diseases

Engineers turn cells common in scar tissue into colonies of beating heart cells

Commonly used disinfectants do not kill human papillomavirus, say researchers

Microbiologists find way to use statins to fight Hantavirus

Researchers examine how evolution relates to health

Biologists demonstrate highly effective method for delivering HIV-fighting antibodies

Scientists find neutralizing antibodies that protects humanized mice from HIV transmission

EMT program in human cells may provide an effective approach for treating triple-negative breast cancer

Walgreens collaborates with NMAC to improve treatment outcomes for African Americans with HIV

Zoetis reports revenue of $1.25 billion for Q4 2013

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

Study findings suggest potential targets for treating HCV

Gilead submits NDA to FDA for fixed-dose combination of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir for hepatitis C infection

Long-distance signaling molecules tell brain to produce anti-viral interferon

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