This Week in Virology

Vincent speaks with Lynn Enquist about his career in virology, moving from academia to industry and back. Along the way he did pioneering research on bacteriophage, participated in the birth of recombinant DNA technology, and studied herpesviruses. Links for this episode: Holliday junction Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA Restriction enzymes Movies of herpesvirus movement in nerve cells The...

Vincent, Dick, and Alan talk about Nobel prizes for telomere research, bacteriophages that protect aphids from wasps, salicylates and pandemic influenza mortality, and hand washing. Links for this episode: Bacteriophages encode toxins that  protect aphids from wasps 14 year old dies after receiving HPV vaccine Salicylates and  pandemic influenza mortality Canadian microbiologist says  hand washing...

Vincent and Dr. Scott Hammer talk about different types of AIDS vaccines and how they are tested in clinical trials. Links for this episode: PAVE 100 trial  cancelled HIV vaccine  shows promise for the first time Description of the Thailand AIDS program NEJM review on why AIDS vaccine is difficult ( pdf ) Arguments for the AIDS vaccine trial in Thailand International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)

Vincent, Dick, and Alan (with a cameo appearance by  Rich Condit ) review the world’s largest Phase III study of a complex HIV vaccine candidate in Thailand, immunization of salmon against infectious salmon anemia virus, and an outbreak of blueberry shock virus in Michigan. Links for this episode: HIV vaccine  shows promise for the first time -  description of the program, FDA background document...

Vincent and Jason review influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine trials and protection against the virus conferred by the 1976 swine flu vaccine, then move on to a virus called XMRV and its possible role in prostate cancer. Links for this episode: One dose of  influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine without adjuvant is enough Partially completed study on influenza 2009 H1N1 vaccine  with MF59 adjuvant 1976 swine flu vacc...

Vincent and Dick continue Virology 101 with a discussion of the seven different types of viral genomes, and how to use the pathway to mRNA to understand viral replication. Links for this episode: Dick talks about hookworm on  Radio Lab Dick's video page at  BigThink The  seven types of viral genome Animation of HIV replication (thanks axiomatically atypical!) Changes in transcript abundance relati...

Vincent, Dick, Alan and Rich revisit a vaccinia virus lab accident and viral vaccines produced in plants, then talk about an iPhone app to track infectious diseases, flying foxes, and an inhaled measles vaccine. Links for this episode: Laboratory acquired  vaccinia infection Medicago (investor  presentation , pdf) and  Fraunhofer produce vaccines in plants iPhone app  Outbreaks near me No culling...

Vincent and Dick discuss influenza virus-like particle vaccines produced in insect and plant cells, rapid sharing of influenza research, and answer listener questions about cytomegalovirus, viral evolution and symbiosis and much more. Links for this episode: A Farm on Every Floor Influenza virus-like particles in  insect and  plant cells PLoS Currents: Influenza Transmission of 2009 H1N1 influenza...

Vincent and Dick continue virology 101 with a discussion of virus entry into cells, then answer reader email on colony collapse disorder and viruses that confer a benefit to their host. Links for this episode: Illustrations of virus entry into cells Nice  reference for biological items (thanks Jim!) Colony collapse disorder: PBS  program ,  descriptive  study ,  metagenomic study, genetic  analysi...

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Jennifer Drahos tackle the Hendra virus disease outbreak in Australia, AIDS-like disease in wild chimps, return of polio type 2 in Nigeria, the influenza pandemic wave, and rabies in three countries. Links for this episode:   Hendra virus killing horses in Australia AIDS-like disease in wild chimps [ NY Times ] Polio type 2 returns in Nigeria Influenza pandemic wave [ Bran...

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Jennifer Drahos consider Marburg virus in Egyptian fruit bats, bacterial citrus pathogen found in shipping facility, canine parvovirus in Michigan, Relenza-resistant influenza virus, new HIV from gorillas, and public engagement on H1N1 immunization program. Links for this episode: Isolation of Marburg virus from Egyptian fruit bats   Inspectors find bacterial citrus pathog...

Vincent and Dick explain virus classification, and revisit the 1976 swine flu immunization campaign and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Links for this episode:   International Committee on the Taxonomy of Viruses ( ICTV ) CBS 60 Minutes on 1976 swine flu vaccine (thanks Gus and Swiss compass!) Vaccines and  Guillain-Barré NINDS Guillain-Barré  Information Reflections on the 1976 swine flu vaccination pro...

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Delthia Ricks discuss a new influenza virus-like particle vaccine, dog flu, ultrasensitive pen-sized virus detector, imported rabies in the US, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and next season’s flu vaccines. Hosts Vincent Racaniello , Dick Despommier ,  Alan Dove , and Delthia Ricks Links for this episode:   Trivalent virus-like particle vaccine Canine flu virus vaccine U...

In episode 41 of "This Week in Virology",  Vincent Racaniello ,  Dick Despommier , Alan Dove and Rich Condit chat about infectious salmon anemia virus, virus-resistant grapevines, virulence of pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, origin of 1918 influenza virus, holy water ban to halt influenza, frequency of human WU and KI polyomavirus infection, rabies in China, and host species of sin nombre virus. Li...

  In episode 40 of "This Week in Virology", hosts  Vincent Racaniello , Dick Despommier , and Alan Dove consider Reston ebolavirus in swine, historical perspective of H1N1 influenza virus emergence and circulation, Tamiflu-resistant H1N1, Tamiflu in Japanese river waters, transmission of H1N1 virus in ferrets, and pneumonia and respiratory failure from H1N1 in Mexico. Links for this episode Reston...

In episode 39 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier discuss virus structure and answer listener questions. Links for this episode Diagrams of virus structures Boston Globe article on Genzyme FDA warning letter to Genzyme (thanks Peter!) Public Health Reports July - December 1918 (thanks Lenn!) Amateur scientists working with professionals (thanks Ennio!) Influenza...

In episode 38 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello and  Glenn Rall chat about koi herpesvirus, H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells, attack by a rabid raccoon, and measles. Links for this episode: Virus suspected in carp die-off: koi herpesvirus H1N1 influenza vaccine produced in insect cells with baculovirus vectors Outbreak of measles in Wales Production of influenza vac...

In episode 37 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Eric Freed talk about vesivirus contamination of bioreactors, pandemic influenza, maximizing the effect of vaccination by targeting children, chikungunya virus, and open access scientific journals. Links for this episode:   Genzyme shuts down manufacturing of two enzyme drugs because of vesivirus contamination...

In episode 36 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Hamish Young discuss the 2009 influenza pandemic, first 2009 H1N1 vaccine, hunting mosquitoes with midges, vaccine-associated polio in India, and adenoviruses. Links for this episode: WHO calls it a pandemic Novartis produces test run of H1N1 vaccine Midge keeps invasive mosquito in check Two...

In episode 35 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Richard Kessin talk about Lujo virus, a new arenavirus, influenza, WHO rewriting pandemic rules, adjuvants, and a brief history of microbiology. Links for this episode: Lujo virus, a new arenavirus Is CDC too optimistic about influenza? WHO to rewrite pandemic rules Adjuvant at wikipedia Avery...

In episode 34 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , and guest Stephen Morse discuss progressive vaccinia in a smallpox vaccinee, arsenic and influenza in mice, facemasks and flu transmission, and antigenic and genetic analyses of the new H1N1 influenza virus. Links for this episode: Progressive vaccinia in a military smallpox vaccinee Arsenic compromises the immune resp...

Vincent, Alan, Dick, and Raul Andino live at ASM discussed cytomegalovirus infection and blood pressure, restriction of avian influenza viral replication at low temperature, first isolation of West Nile virus in PA, and current status of influenza. Hosts : Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier , and Raul Andino Links for this episode: Cytomegalovirus infection causes an increase of arte...

In episode 32 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove and guest Raul Rabadan converse about polio survivors in iron lungs, bocavirus, structure of mimivirus, and genome sequence analysis of influenza H1N1 viruses. Links for this episode: Death of Marsha Mason , who lived 60 years in an iron lung First discovery of bocavirus in human stool Structural studies of the giant mim...

In episode 31 of This Week in Virology , hosts Vincent Racaniello , Alan Dove , Dick Despommier and guest Marc Pelletier summarize the past week’s influenza H1N1 activity, and discuss parvovirus infection of dogs and humans. Weekly Science Picks Marc Celestia , an application Dick US Geological Survey website Alan Society for Amateur Scientists website Vincent Sneeze , an online game

On this special episode of This Week in Virology Vincent Racaniello and Dr. Peter Palese , noted influenza expert, discuss the origin and pandemic potential of the new H1N1 influenza virus.