Virology News and Research

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Virology is the study of viruses and virus-like agents: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cells for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy.

Loss of natural HIV control preceded by functional impairment of T cells

HIV is a master of evading the immune system, using a variety of methods to prevent the body from being able to find and kill it.

13 Sep 2021

Novel technique greatly increases the resolution of atomic force microscopy

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed a computational technique that greatly increases the resolution of atomic force microscopy, a specialized type of microscope that "feels" the atoms at a surface.

17 Jun 2021

Scientists discover two drugs that provide effective SARS-CoV-2 suppression

COVID-19 continues to claim lives across the world and is infecting millions more. Although several vaccines have recently become available, making significant strides towards preventing COVID-19, what about the treatment of those who already have the infection?

From Tokyo University of Science 4 Jun 2021

Scientists shed light on the origins of Mimivirus and other giant viruses

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay shed light on the origins of Mimivirus and other giant viruses, helping us better understand a group of unique biological forms that shaped life on earth.

17 May 2021

Novel test detects HIV reservoir in patients more accurately

An innovative test that determines the quality and quantity of inactive HIV viruses in the genes of HIV patients may ultimately give scientists a better idea of effective drugs.

14 Apr 2021

Study advances CAR T cell therapy targeted at cancer

Cancer immunotherapy involves the activation of cells in the patient’s own immune system to fight tumor cells.

19 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 can make itself unrecognizable to immune response by T-killer cells through mutations

The body's immune response plays a crucial role in the course of a SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition to antibodies, the so-called T-killer cells, are also responsible for detecting viruses in the body and eliminating them.

5 Mar 2021

Protein kinases may offer a solution to treat HIV patients with immunodeficiency

A new study indicates that protein kinases, which initiate the process that erodes the body’s immunity, significantly contribute to the immunodeficiency in HIV patients. Drugs that block these protein kinases may offer a solution to treating HIV patients whose immunity is not restored by antiretroviral therapy.

2 Mar 2021

New understanding of tumor microenvironment could help enhance immunotherapy

A paper published today in Nature shows how chemicals in the areas surrounding tumors--known as the tumor microenvironment--subvert the immune system and enable cancer to evade attack. These findings suggest that an existing drug could boost cancer immunotherapy.

From University of Pittsburgh 16 Feb 2021

Study suggests the need to characterize patient-specific responses to respiratory syncytial virus

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that while most individuals responded to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) natural reinfection with a typical sustained antibody response associated with protection, a few individuals surprisingly responded atypically, not being able to sustain the antibody response, which declined to levels that made the individuals susceptible to RSV reinfection.

5 Feb 2021

Study reveals NLRP1 protein that serves as a sensor for invasive pathogens

Researchers are paving the way to a more in-depth understanding of the race between pathogens and the host organisms they search to infect.

29 Jan 2021

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce antibody and inflammatory responses to COVID-19

According to a new study, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) decreased both inflammatory and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection in mice.

26 Jan 2021

Augmented response of immune system explains COVID-19 severity in patients with hypertension

COVID-19 patients who also suffer from high blood pressure are more likely to fall severely ill with the disease, which also leaves them at greater risk of death.

12 Jan 2021

Advanced nanomaterial-based biosensing platform detects COVID-19 antibodies within seconds

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University report findings on an advanced nanomaterial-based biosensing platform that detects, within seconds, antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

11 Jan 2021

Researchers identify key molecular processes used by coronaviruses to survive

When a coronavirus--including SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19--infects someone, it hijacks the person's cells, co-opting their molecular machinery for its own survival and spread.

9 Dec 2020

CRISPR-based test for COVID-19 provides quick, accurate results

Imagine swabbing your nostrils, putting the swab in a device, and getting a read-out on your phone in 15 to 30 minutes that tells you if you are infected with the COVID-19 virus.

7 Dec 2020

Study underlines the significance of epithelial against invasive pathogens

Researchers have demonstrated that a protein present in skin cells detects a particular nucleic acid that is developed at the time of virus replication.

30 Nov 2020

Gaining new insights into bacterial pneumonia

Jacqueline Kimmey speaks to AZoLifeSciences about her research into bacterial pneumonia and the genes that drive its spread from the lungs into the blood.

From University of California Santa Cruz 23 Nov 2020

Study finds that cannabidiol induces the expression of heme oxygenase 1 in skin cells

At present, cannabidiol has found considerable use not just in the world of cosmetics but also in nutrition and pharmaceutics due to its therapeutic potential.

17 Nov 2020

Study: Early travel restrictions have significantly limited the spread of COVID-19 virus

The coronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has one official name--SARS-CoV-2. But according to virologists, mutations lead to hundreds of genetically-distinct versions of the virus.

23 Oct 2020