This Week in Virology

On this episode of TWiV, mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer show over 90% efficacy, prothrombotic auto-antibodies in serum of COVID-19 patients, and the whereabouts of SARS-CoV-2 in the human body. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode Efficacy o...

From Expedition 64 of International Space Station, Flight Engineer Kate Rubins joins TWiV to discuss experiments that she is working on, including cell cultures, genome sequencing, and plant growth. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello and Rich Condit Guest: Kate Rubins Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Intro music is by  Ronald Jenkees Send your virolog...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, Kathleen Crowley explains the role of Environmental Health & Safety departments, update on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in farmed mink, and the presence of pre-existing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in unexposed individuals. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guests: Daniel Griffin and Kathleen...

Mady, Fiona, and David join TWiV to discuss patients with long-term COVID and similarities and differences with ME/CFS. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guests: Mady Hornig , Fiona Lowenstein , and David Tuller Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode Body Politic Survivor Corps Long-haulers redefinin...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, Slovlakia's plan to test all adults for SARS-CoV-2 infection, viral variants arising in Danish mink and their potential threat to humans, why it is unethical to carry out challenge trials, Nipah virus dynamics in bats and spillovers into humans, and direct cardiac damage by spike-mediated cardiomyocyte fusion. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dicks...

Nels joins TWiV to reveal the discovery of a picornavirus of zebrafish by measuring immune responses in the host, genome sequence analysis of the White House COVID-19 outbreak, and a six-fold higher SARS-CoV-2 exposure rate than reported cases in German children. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , and Kathy Spindler Guest: Nels Elde Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  ema...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss rapid deployment of SARS-CoV-2 testing by research laboratories in San Francisco, longitudinal observation of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in patients, and listener questions on vaccines, loss of smell, face masks, and more. Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episo...

In this episode we explain how regions of the human genome associated with severe COVID-19 are identified, the finding that one of these regions was inherited from Neanderthals, and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 reproduction in an immunocompromised patient. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patr...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss Bill Foege's letter to CDC director Robert Redfield, the false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19, secret blueprints for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials released, and neuropilin-1 as a possible entry protein for the virus. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guest: Daniel G...

Lisa joins TWiV to discuss her research on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, including work on vaccines and an antiviral, then we review the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a potential analgesic, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: Lisa Gralinski Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Bec...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, we debunk the Great Barrington Declaration, and discuss smell and taste changes as early indicators of the pandemic, vascular disease and thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 infected humans and rhesus macaques, and the ability of the swine pathogen SADS-CoV to infect human respiratory tract cells. Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  em...

Ari and Kishana, two of the founders of Black in Microbiology, join TWiV to discuss the goals of the organization, then we review pauses of J&J and Lilly COVID-19 vaccine trials, preclinical studies of Regeneron's SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody cocktail, reinfection of a patient in Nevada, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: Ar...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then Amy joins us to discuss the 2020 Chemistry Nobel Prize for gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9, continuing circulation of poliovirus in Afghanistan, inborn errors of interferon in patients with severe COVID-19, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove , and Rich Condit Guests: Daniel Griffin and Amy Rosenfeld Subscribe (fr...

Kizzmekia Corbett joins TWiV to review her career and her work on respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses and coronavirus vaccines, including her role in development and testing of a spike-encoding mRNA vaccine, and then we review the Nobel Prize for discovery of hepatitis C virus. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: Kizzmekia...

Daniel Griffin discusses President Trump's case of COVID-19, including the clinical course, the medications he received and why, and expectations for the next few weeks. Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episode Regeneron CoV-2 mAb cocktail results (Regeneron) Rethinking COVID-19 test sensitivity (NEJM) Timestamps by Jolene . Tha...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, including a discussion of the role of vitamin D in COVID-19, Michael and Christopher explain why we have made all the wrong moves during the pandemic, evidence that the D614G amino acid change improves transmission in hamsters, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guests: Dan...

Tony Schountz joins TWiV to explain the work of his laboratory showing that deer mice can be infected with and transmit SARS-CoV-2, and how his colony of Jamaican fruit bats is being used to understand their response to virus infections. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: Tony Schountz Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Beco...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, review of the phase I and II trials of the Russian prime-boost vaccine, a mouse model that recapitulates age-dependent severe disease, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , and Rich Condit Guest: Daniel Griffin Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV!...

David Brenner joins TWiV to explain how far-UVC lights could provide protection from SARS-CoV-2 and other airborne viruses in public places, solutions to face mask fogging, transmission during airplane flights, and listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: David Brenner Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, superspreading potential of SARS-CoV-2 in Hong Kong, structure of virion glycoprotein of a commmon cold coronavirus reveals changes driven by prolonged circulation in humans, and listener email. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier , Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guest: Daniel Griffin Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Googl...

On this mid-week edition, does it matter that SARS-CoV-2 is mutating, seasonal coronavirus immunity is short-lived, another bogus claim that the virus was produced in a laboratory (it came from Nature), and answers to listener questions. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV...

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, including vaccines, Alan summarizes a vaccine webinar on the most advanced US trials, a nidovirus from snapping turtles, longevity of memory B cells in recovered patients, and listener email. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove , Rich Condit , and Brianne Barker Guest: Daniel Griffin Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Po...

The authors of the textbook Principles of Virology gather to reveal new additions to the fifth edition, including a new author, study questions, and a chapter on therapeutic viruses. Host:  Vincent Racaniello Guests: Jane Flint , Anna Marie Skalka , Glenn F. Rall , and Theodora Hatziioannou Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV! Links for this episo...

Ralph Baric returns to TWiV to provide an update on the COVID-19 resurgence in the US, monoclonal antibodies, antiviral drugs, vaccines, immunity and reinfection, reopening schools, and what will happen this fall. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker Guest: Ralph Baric Subscribe (free):  iTunes ,  Google Podcasts ,  RSS ,  email Become a  patron  of TWiV!

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss decline of virus-specific bone marrow B cells within a year after influenza vaccination, the push to release SARS-CoV-2 vaccines before completion of phase 3 trials, and absence of evidence for infectious virus in aerosols. Hosts:  Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove , Rich Condit , Kathy Spindler , and Brianne Barker Guest: Daniel G...