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.

Viral RNA undergoes conformational changes to hijack host cells, says study

Scientists from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus recently identified how an RNA molecule from a virus develops a complex, three-dimensional structure, and is capable of changing its shape to hijack host proteins.

25 Nov 2021

Torquetenovirus in people infected by SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a marker of disease severity

Torquetenovirus (TTV) is one of the viruses most frequently found in the human organism. It is also common in monkeys and domestic animals.

8 Nov 2021

Metabolic restoration could provide natural protection against HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) particularly attacks CD4 lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell considered to be the conductor of the immune system.

19 Oct 2021

Study identifies highly potent monoclonal antibody against all SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers identified a greatly potent monoclonal antibody that aims at the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

19 Oct 2021

Study: Sex matters when it comes to susceptibility to infections and other health conditions

A University of Alberta-led study shows that when it comes to susceptibility to infections and other health conditions, sex matters.

13 Oct 2021

Supercoiling and looping can transmit mechanical stress along the DNA backbone, shows study

When people think of DNA, they visualize a string-like double helix structure. In reality, the DNA double helix in cells is supercoiled and constrained into loops. This supercoiling and looping are known to influence every aspect of DNA activity, but how this happens has not been clear.

28 Sep 2021

Researchers identify new protein that may critically contribute to severe COVID-19

The University of Kent's School of Biosciences and the Institute of Medical Virology at Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, have identified a protein that may critically contribute to severe forms of COVID-19.

27 Sep 2021

Llamas' nanobodies could provide a new frontline treatment against Covid-19

A unique type of tiny antibody produced by llamas could provide a new frontline treatment against Covid-19 that can be taken by patients as a simple nasal spray.

23 Sep 2021

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?

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.

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