Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Evolutionary-spreading model predicts another devastating COVID-19 peak around July 2021

The emergence of this variant highlighted the uneven pace of mutation and selection of variants. New bioinformatics tools are the need of the hour to clarify this and confirm a dynamic evolution by tracking the mutation rates of the spike protein. It generally takes 1 – 6 months for current variants causing COVID-19 case peaks and deaths to survive the pressure of selection.

11 May 2021

Personalized vaccine can provide effective immunization against cancer

Marie-Claude Bourgeois-Daigneault and her team at the CRCHUM are using mice to show how a combination of peptides and oncolytic viruses, used as an adjuvant, can provide effective immunization against cancer.

11 May 2021

Hospitalized pregnant women less likely to die from COVID-19 than non-pregnant patients

Pregnant women who are hospitalized with COVID-19 and viral pneumonia are less likely than non-pregnant women to die from these infections, according to a new study by researchers with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

11 May 2021

T cell populations in nasal mucosa expand after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination

A new study released as a bioRxiv* preprint tried to establish how tissues such as the upper respiratory tract (URT) – which harbor the virus and often act as the point of entry – are difficult to access for routine testing, but are responsive to vaccination.

11 May 2021

Study reveals acute immunologic changes in children with long COVID

Many reports are beginning to emerge on the ‘long COVID’ phenomenon. But a new study, released as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, describes, for the first time, immunologic changes observed in children with PASC.

11 May 2021

An intranasal COVID-19 vaccine elicits long-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in vivo

A team of scientists from the Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Texas Medical Branch, USA, has recently evaluated the durability and robustness of an adenovirus-vectored, spike-based intranasal COVID-19 vaccine in mice.

11 May 2021

Researchers design compounds that prevent SARS-CoV-2 entry in human lung cells

Researchers have designed a new class of TMPRSS2 inhibitors that have shown broad antiviral activity against coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

11 May 2021

Experimental gene therapy successfully treats children born without an immune system

An experimental form of gene therapy developed by a team of researchers from UCLA and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London has successfully treated 48 of 50 children born with a rare and deadly inherited disorder that leaves them without an immune system.

11 May 2021

MIT researchers generate the complete gene annotation of SARS-CoV-2 genome

In early 2020, a few months after the Covid-19 pandemic began, scientists were able to sequence the full genome of the virus that causes the infection, SARS-CoV-2. While many of its genes were already known at that point, the full complement of protein-coding genes was unresolved.

11 May 2021

Case study describes consequences of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection during mRNA vaccination

Now, a new report describes a case of a coincidental mRNA vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection in a 31-year-old doctor, addressing the theoretical considerations for potential risks and further required actions in case more cases appear in the future.

11 May 2021

The "key" to vaccine development depends on virus’ binding to human cells

New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus most likely will necessitate the development of more vaccine options in the years ahead, and a biomedical scientist at Iowa State University believes the "key" to that development lies in the way the virus binds to human cells.

11 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant more infectious because of higher viral load

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was triggered by the uncontrolled spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A year and a half later, the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 viral load and infectiousness remains a matter of scientific debate. Now, a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server aims to quantify this relationship

11 May 2021

Researchers discover the second possible effective mechanism of remdesivir

The virostatic agent remdesivir was developed to disrupt an important step in the propagation of RNA viruses, to which SARS-CoV-2 also belongs: the reproduction of the virus's own genetic material. This is present as RNA matrices with which the host cell directly produces virus proteins.

11 May 2021

Experts discuss the role of hormones in everyday life, highlight policy measures to address challenges

Today, EU policymakers, experts, patient representatives and other stakeholders gathered online to discuss the role of hormones in our everyday life, its interlinkage with prevalent non-communicable diseases and the policy measures required to address the many challenges in this rapidly growing area of human health.

11 May 2021

New approach targeting viral RNA could lead to broad spectrum anti-viral drugs

A new approach to tackling viruses by targeting the 'control center' in viral RNA could lead to broad spectrum anti-viral drugs and provide a first line of defense against future pandemics, according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

11 May 2021

Anxiety, stress, and depression cause people to blame government for COVID-19 transmission

In a time of a global crisis such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is easy to note how people move through different phases to buckle up for such unprecedented and arduous times.

11 May 2021

The travel-related origin and spread of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.620 strain

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server describes a new variant B.1.620, which appeared in Lithuania, and is now prevalent in several countries in Europe, as well as in central Africa.

11 May 2021

FDA expands emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age.

10 May 2021

Natural products a rich source for novel antiviral compounds

In a recent review in the journal Viruses, researchers look at natural products that can be identified as potential alternative antiviral agents. The reviewers discussed the antiviral activities of several natural products towards DNA and RNA viruses with an analytical approach. The researchers detailed the cellular/viral targets of the active molecules and their impact on the infection and viral replication cycle.

10 May 2021

Lab reports 1st instance of SARS-CoV-2 variants affecting antigen test performance

Researchers from the US recently determined the sensitivity of the Quidel Sofia SARS Antigen FIA test (Sofia 2). They found a high viral load specimen that tested negative repeatedly while using this antigen test. The study is published on the preprint server, medRxiv.

10 May 2021

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Evolutionary-spreading model predicts another devastating COVID-19 peak around July 2021

Personalized vaccine can provide effective immunization against cancer

Hospitalized pregnant women less likely to die from COVID-19 than non-pregnant patients

T cell populations in nasal mucosa expand after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination

Study reveals acute immunologic changes in children with long COVID

An intranasal COVID-19 vaccine elicits long-lasting immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants in vivo

Researchers design compounds that prevent SARS-CoV-2 entry in human lung cells

Experimental gene therapy successfully treats children born without an immune system

MIT researchers generate the complete gene annotation of SARS-CoV-2 genome

Case study describes consequences of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infection during mRNA vaccination

The "key" to vaccine development depends on virus’ binding to human cells

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant more infectious because of higher viral load

Researchers discover the second possible effective mechanism of remdesivir

Experts discuss the role of hormones in everyday life, highlight policy measures to address challenges

New approach targeting viral RNA could lead to broad spectrum anti-viral drugs

Anxiety, stress, and depression cause people to blame government for COVID-19 transmission

The travel-related origin and spread of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.620 strain

FDA expands emergency use authorization for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Natural products a rich source for novel antiviral compounds

Lab reports 1st instance of SARS-CoV-2 variants affecting antigen test performance

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Innovating for impact: Jordi Labs on aligning methodologies with FDA expectation

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

A new way of characterising biomolecules eBook

Innovating for impact: Jordi Labs on aligning methodologies with FDA expectation

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

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