Podcasts about Molecular virology

Guest: Dr. Hana El Sahly, Professor, Kyle and Josephine Morrow Chair, Molecular Virology and Microbiology Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit, Baylor College of MedicineDiscuss the latest updates and clinical implications of Bird Flu/H5N1 and the measles outbreak. Bird flu/H5N1- Overview- Infection rates- Risk of transmission to humans- Prevention- Surveillance Measles- Overview- Outbreak status compared to prior years- Infection rates- Vaccine recommendationsResources: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2414610https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/situation-summary/index.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html

Send us a textDr. Jay Hooper, Ph.D. is Chief, Molecular Virology Branch, at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases ( USAMRIID - https://usamriid.health.mil/ ) where his research is aimed at the discovery and development of medical countermeasures targeting exotic viral diseases of military importance including hemorrhagic fever caused by hantaviruses, arenaviruses, filoviruses (e.g., Ebola virus), and diseases caused by poxviruses (e.g., smallpox and monkeypox). Dr. Hooper's discoveries include one of the world's most potent monoclonal antibodies targeting smallpox (7D11), and the first practical lethal disease animal model for a hantavirus (Andes virus in Syrian hamsters). Dr. Hooper is an expert in DNA vaccine technology and the use of this technology to develop both active vaccines and passive (antibody-based) medical countermeasures, and is the lead scientist in an effort that has resulted in multiple hantavirus DNA vaccines moving into Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. To expedite medical countermeasure research, Dr. Hooper's group established a pseudovirion neutralization assay capability which has been used to support the rapid development of candidate antibody-based products and vaccines, including candidate Ebola virus vaccines. During the COVID-19 outbreak Dr. Hooper led an effort to establish rodent animal models to discover and advance medical countermeasures targeting COVID-19. That work resulted in among the first publications on the use of the Syrian hamster model, and human ACE2 mouse model, to evaluate medical countermeasures. These models were then used to advance vaccines and antibody treatments, including Operation Warp Speed-funded research. Dr. Hooper's is currently collaborating with industrial partners to develop future generation vaccines and antibodies to combat monkeypox.Dr. Hooper has a Ph.D. in Virology from Harvard University and a BA in Biology from Colby College.#USAMRIID #MolecularVirology #MedicalCountermeasures #Hantavirus #Ebola #Monkeypox #Smallpox #Covid #MonoclonalAntibodies #Vaccines  #OperationWarpSpeed #Army #Biodefense #MrnaVaccines #DNAVaccines #ProgressPotentialAndPossibilities #IraPastor #Podcast #Podcaster #ViralPodcast #STEM #Innovation #Technology #Science #ResearchSupport the show

There are all sorts of molecular tests to tell if you're infected with something specific, but what do you use when you're not sure what you might have? You might use a thermometer as a first step, but wouldn't it be nice if that thermometer was a bit more high tech? In this episode we meet Dr. Nick Meyerson, CEO and co-founder of Darwin Biosciences, who's team is working to develop the “molecular thermometer of the future.” We hear about how this physicist transitioned into molecular biology and then latched onto saliva as a sample of choice to detect early molecular indicator of infection. Nick does a great job of explaining his path leading up to the founding of Darwin Bio, the challenges of founding a company in early 2020, why saliva is their sample of choice, the beautiful simplicity of isothermal amplification methods, and the lesser-known funding routes of working with government agencies like the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Join us as we dive into the molecular nature of non-specific detection of infections, how it's done using no electricity, it's potential applications, and what the future holds for this field. Nick also shares lessons learned and some insights on the value of mentors and a lifelong curiosity. Subscribe to get future episodes as they drop and if you like what you're hearing we hope you'll share a review or recommend the series to a colleague.  Download Transcripts: Speaking of Mol Bio Podcast | Thermo Fisher Scientific - US Visit the Invitrogen School of Molecular Biology to access helpful molecular biology resources and educational content, and please share this resource with anyone you know working in molecular biology.

What really is in the food we eat?In this shocking and enlightening episode, Dr. Chris Van Tulleken explores the profound impact ultra-processed foods have on our health, society, and our relationship with food. Dr. Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at UCLH with a diploma in Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Molecular Virology from UCL. He is one of the BBC's leading science presenters and author of the groundbreaking book, Ultra-Processed People.This conversation delves into the deceptive nature of food marketing, the challenges of dietary change, and the stark reality of food addiction. Plus, Chris discusses his firsthand experience with an 80% ultra-processed food diet and its alarming implications. This discussion will not only inform you, but empower you to scrutinise your food choices and advocate for a healthier, more transparent food system. Connect with Chris on InstagramBuy Chris's book, Ultra-Processed People***Thank you to my wonderful sponsors!Naturalmat | A healthier, more sustainable night's sleep.Use code LIVEWELL for 10% off***Timecodes00:00 Introduction00:05 Emotional Connections to Food00:08 Defining Unhealthy Foods00:17 Impact of Marketing Strategies03:06 Ultra-Processed Diet Experiments09:29 Consequences of Ultra-Processed Foods26:36 Debunking Diet Myths42:09 The Illusion of Willpower49:21 Actionable Steps for Individuals*****Join my inner circle: https://sarahannmacklin.com/members-hub-subscribe*****Let's be friends!

Anti-science rhetoric has been around for decades. What's new is that current attacks on science and scientists are coming from well-organized and well-funded groups whose tactics are more aggressive than ever. Dr. Peter Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. In his new book, "The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science: A Scientist's Warning," Dr. Hotez cautions us on the high-stakes dangers of anti-science narratives that are gaining more traction.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Peter Hotez is a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Stephen Morrissey, the interviewer, is the Executive Managing Editor of the Journal. P.J. Hotez and A.D. LaBeaud. Yellow Jack's Potential Return to the American South. N Engl J Med 2023;389:1445-1447.

You've probably seen Dr. Peter Hotez on the news before, being interviewed, sited, or – sometimes – skewered. He's made a name for himself in the fight against anti-science and was a constant presence as a primetime source during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Hotez is the founding Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. He is also University Professor at Baylor University. His latest book is "The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science: A Scientists Warning."He joins The Linecast to talk about his run-in with Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.; his work to fight anti-science rhetoric; and the what the future holds for us in navigating, what often seems like, a post-truth world. You can find Dr. Hotez on X. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the 5 Second Rule, hosts Kelly and Lerenza interview Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and autism parent, who shares his insights from the recent COVID-19 pandemic and provides strategies to better equip IPC programs for the future. His enlightened advice about anticipating and preparing for emerging infections, combined with his inspiring view of addressing vaccine skepticism, makes this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to protect their community from infectious diseases. Hosted by: Lerenza Howard, MHA, CIC, LSSGB and Kelly Holmes, MS, CIC About our Guest: Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics, and Professor of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. Additionally, Hotez is University Professor at Baylor University and a Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy. Hotez was among the first to predict Zika's emergence in the U.S. and has served on infectious disease task forces for two consecutive Texas Governors. As an internationally recognized physician-scientist in tropical diseases and vaccine development, he is called upon frequently to testify before Congress. While at the Clinton Global Initiative, Hotez co-founded the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. In 2017, he was named by Fortune magazine as one of the 34 most influential people in healthcare; in 2018, he was appointed by the U.S. State Department to serve on the Board of Governors for the U.S. Israel Binational Science Foundation. Hotez received the Sackler Award in Sustained Leadership from Research!America. He was also the recipient of APIC's 2022 Distinguished Scientist Award.

Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics.  He is also University Professor at Baylor University, Fellow in Disease and Poverty at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy,  Senior Fellow at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University, Faculty Fellow with the Hagler Institute for Advanced Studies at Texas A&M University, and Health Policy Scholar in the Baylor Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy.Most recently as both a vaccine scientist and autism parent, he has led national efforts to defend vaccines and to serve as an ardent champion of vaccines going up against a growing national “antivax” threat. In 2019, he received the Award for Leadership in Advocacy for Vaccines from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.  In 2021 he was recognized by scientific leadership awards from the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) and the AMA (American Medical Association), in addition to being recognized by the Anti-Defamation League with its annual Popkin Award for combating antisemitism, and in 2023 he received the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science ) Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility for his “scientific work in vaccine development and his work as a public voice promoting and defending vaccines.” Dr. Hotez appears frequently on television (including BBC, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC), radio, and in newspaper interviews (including the New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal).

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently lifted the COVID-19 "emergency," but the pandemic isn't over. The Connecticut Department of Public Health issued guidance in light of the end of the federal Public Health Emergency on May 11, clarifying that "Ending the COVID-19 emergency declarations does not mean the virus has been eradicated." This hour, epidemiologist Dr. Saad Omer joins us to discuss.Plus, we revisit our conversation with scientist and Connecticut native Dr. Peter Hotez. His new book, the third he has written about the COVID-19 pandemic, is due out September 19. The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist's Warning is described as "an eyewitness story of how the anti-vaccine movement grew into a dangerous and prominent anti-science element in American politics." You can listen to the full conversation here. GUESTS: Dr. Saad Omer: Epidemiologist; Inaugural Dean, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern Medical Center Dr. Peter J. Hotez: Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine; Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine; Author, The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist's Warning Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, acclaimed scientist and Connecticut native Dr. Peter J. Hotez has helped translate what we know about the virus and vaccines, taking countless live "news hits" from his office at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Behind-the-scenes, he helped develop a COVID-19 vaccine, which earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Now, he's working on a new book, his third about the COVID-19 pandemic, due out September 19. The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist's Warning is described as “an eyewitness story of how the anti-vaccine movement grew into a dangerous and prominent anti-science element in American politics.” This hour, he joins us to discuss this movement, and to issue a "warning." Plus, Connecticut College chemistry professor Marc Zimmer responds. GUESTS: Dr. Peter J. Hotez: Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine; Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine; Author, The Deadly Rise of Anti-science: A Scientist's Warning Marc Zimmer: Chemistry Professor, Connecticut College; Author, Science and the Skeptic Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#7 — Rob Kirchdoerfer is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this episode of CryoTalk, Rob joins Eva Amsen to talk about using cryoEM to study virus interactions and how he ended up working on cutting-edge research. He also talks about possible future cryoEM applications, why he has been interested in science since he was a kid, and winter in Wisconsin. Tune in to hear more!Watch or listen to all episodes of the Cryo-Talk podcast here: cryo-talk.bitesizebio.com

The Internationally acclaimed Professor of Paediatrics and Molecular Virology, Dean at Baylor college of medicine and Texas Children's Hospital Chair, anti-vaxx and anti-science WARRIOR, is with us to discuss the big headlines and what he thinks we are facing moving forward. Plus, Oscar prep with the fabulous Dana Gee!

Does fostering equity at work lead to 100% job satisfaction? Listen to learn the answer to this question and also, why organizations with diverse leaders are more financially successful with improved employee retention and engagement. Give WISEcast some monthly listener support or make a one-time donation →Paypal. Our goal is to create a community that inspires and engages all women in the life sciences and STEM. Check out our partner Women In Bio – an organization dedicated to the promotion of diversity and inclusion for all women, in life sciences and beyond! From the classroom to the boardroom, WIB has something for everyone. Being a WIB member has incredible benefits; virtual and in-person events, access to professional growth opportunities, and an unmatched community of support and engagement. Visit womeninbio.org for more information. Dr. Lori Banks is an Assistant Professor of Biology whose work focuses on novel antimicrobial development, representation in STEM curriculum, and and increasing diversity in STEM careers. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Prairie View A&M University and a Ph.D. in Molecular Virology and Microbiology from Baylor College of Medicine. She also participates in a number of local community service organizations around Northern New England, including Girl Scouts of Maine and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. You can connect with Lori on LinkedIn, and follow her lab group on Twitter and Instagram as well. WISEcast is featured as one of the top 10 podcasts from the 60 Best Women in STEM Podcasts by Feedspot! Check out The Wisest Children on YouTube and see how our young scientist proteges are making science accessible and fun through some STEM activities for kids! You can connect with us on: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn or by email at thewisestwomen@gmail.com . --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thewisestwomen/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thewisestwomen/support

Dr. Peter Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. He joins Steve Dale, in […]

Dr. Peter Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also the Co-director of the Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. He joins Steve Dale, in […]

Welcome to a new episode of our podcast.Marisa Martínez interviewed Rodolfo Bellinzoni from Biogenesis Bago to explore the available tools for the prevention and control of an FMD emergency. Learn more about the impact cost, the level of investment required to control an outbreak, and some of the most effective tools for prevention and preparedness.Marisa Martínez is a Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, and graduated in 2008 from the Universidad del Salvador, Veterinary School, in Argentina.She worked on a dairy farm as Milk Quality Solution Manager in DeLaval from 2010 to 2012. Marisa joined Biogenesis Bagó in 2012, as Dairy Technical Service. Later on, as part of the InnovationDepartment, she developed intramammary products that were launched to the market in 2016. From 2019, she was Technical Department Manager, and in 2022, became Product Manager for FMD and Biosecurity.Since 2012, she is an active Member of the Honorable Board of Directors of APROCAL, a non-profit organization that works towards milk and dairy products quality in Argentina, and from 2015 to 2020 was its President. She has a Certification in Biosecurity Audits by Biocheck, from Ghent University and holds several publications at renowned congresses, both on dairy and FMD.Rodolfo Bellinzoni is a Veterinary Doctor, who graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences of the Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos. He then obtained his Ph.D. degree and did postdoctoral training in Molecular Virology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, USA.He joined Biogénesis Bagó in 1990 as R&D Manager and later, in 2000, he took the position of Director of Industrial Operations.In parallel to his work in the company, between 2010 and 2014 he was the Director of Operations of Sinergium Biotech, where he managed technology transfer processes for the manufacture of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in Argentina.For Biogénesis Bagó, he led the design, engineering, construction, and technology transfer processes for the foot-and-mouth disease vaccine production plant that the company developed in Yangling, China.From 2019, he was Director of Industrial Operations and Innovation for Biogénesis Bagó. His achievements for the company include leading the licensing process by which Biogénesis Bagó achieved supplier status with the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Antigen and Vaccine Bank of the USA, Canada, and Mexico and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasure Bank (NAVVCB) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).In 2017, he became a full member of the Argentine National Academy of Agronomy and Veterinary Science for his main contribution to the control of foot-and-mouth disease.

On this week's show: How sci-fi writer Kurt Vonnegut foresaw many of today's ethical dilemmas, and 70 years of tunas, billfishes, and sharks as sentinels of global ocean health First up this week on the podcast, we revisit the works of science fiction author Kurt Vonneugt on what would have been his 100th birthday. News Intern Zack Savitsky and host Sarah Crespi discuss the work of ethicists, philosophers, and Vonnegut scholars on his influence on the ethics and practice of science. Researchers featured in this segment: Peter-Paul Verbeek, a philosopher of science and technology at the University of Amsterdam and chair of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology David Koepsell, a philosopher of science and technology at Texas A&M University, College Station Christina Jarvis, a Vonnegut scholar at the State University of New York, Fredonia, and author of the new book Lucky Mud & Other Foma: A Field Guide to Kurt Vonnegut's Environmentalism and Planetary Citizenship Sheila Jasanoff, a science studies scholar at Harvard University Next, producer Kevin McLean discusses the connection between fishing pressure and extinction risk for large predatory fish such as tunas and sharks. He's joined by Maria José Juan Jordá, a postdoc at the Spanish Institute for Oceanography, to learn what a new continuous Red List Index using the past 70 years of fisheries data can tell us about the effectiveness and limits of fishing regulations. Finally, in a sponsored segment from the Science/AAAS Custom Publishing Office, Sean Sanders, director and senior editor for custom publishing, interviews Joseph Hyser, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine about his use of wide-field fluorescence live cell microscopy to track intercellular calcium waves created following rotavirus infection. This segment is sponsored by Nikon. This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy. [Image: richcarey/istock; Music: Jeffrey Cook] [alt: underwater photo of a swirling mass of tunas, with podcast overlay symbol] Authors: Sarah Crespi; Kevin McLean; Zack Savitsky Episode page: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf7398 About the Science Podcast: https://www.science.org/content/page/about-science-podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's show: How sci-fi writer Kurt Vonnegut foresaw many of today's ethical dilemmas, and 70 years of tunas, billfishes, and sharks as sentinels of global ocean health First up this week on the podcast, we revisit the works of science fiction author Kurt Vonneugt on what would have been his 100th birthday. News Intern Zack Savitsky and host Sarah Crespi discuss the work of ethicists, philosophers, and Vonnegut scholars on his influence on the ethics and practice of science. Researchers featured in this segment: Peter-Paul Verbeek, a philosopher of science and technology at the University of Amsterdam and chair of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology David Koepsell, a philosopher of science and technology at Texas A&M University, College Station Christina Jarvis, a Vonnegut scholar at the State University of New York, Fredonia, and author of the new book Lucky Mud & Other Foma: A Field Guide to Kurt Vonnegut's Environmentalism and Planetary Citizenship Sheila Jasanoff, a science studies scholar at Harvard University Next, producer Kevin McLean discusses the connection between fishing pressure and extinction risk for large predatory fish such as tunas and sharks. He's joined by Maria José Juan Jordá, a postdoc at the Spanish Institute for Oceanography, to learn what a new continuous Red List Index using the past 70 years of fisheries data can tell us about the effectiveness and limits of fishing regulations. Finally, in a sponsored segment from the Science/AAAS Custom Publishing Office, Sean Sanders, director and senior editor for custom publishing, interviews Joseph Hyser, assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine about his use of wide-field fluorescence live cell microscopy to track intercellular calcium waves created following rotavirus infection. This segment is sponsored by Nikon. This week's episode was produced with help from Podigy. [Image: richcarey/istock; Music: Jeffrey Cook] [alt: underwater photo of a swirling mass of tunas, with podcast overlay symbol] Authors: Sarah Crespi; Kevin McLean; Zack Savitsky Episode page: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf7398 About the Science Podcast: https://www.science.org/content/page/about-science-podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Peter Hotez joins CareTalk to discuss the anti-science culture that has developed in recent years and how it's impacting our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Hotez explains how the anti-vaccine movement is based on misinformation and fearmongering. The result is a dangerous impact on public health that puts everyone at risk, not just those who are unvaccinated.Dr. Hotez also talks about how social media is playing a role in spreading this misinformation. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are amplified the voices of those who peddle conspiracy theories and false information. This makes it difficult for people to know what to believe, and it's contributing to the spread of COVID-19.TOPICS:(0:21) What is anti-science?(1:45) What is the history of the anti-vaccination movement?(6:28) What is Corbevax and when will it be available?(12:12) Why is the anti-vaccination movement dangerous to public health?(14:24) What can we do to combat vaccine misinformation?(18:27) When it comes to COVID-19, what can we learn from our response to HIV?(21:36) Will anti-science get better or worse?ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare system. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (CEO, CareCentrix) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. ABOUT DR. PETER HOTEZDr. Peter Hotez is an American scientist, pediatrician, and advocate in the fields of global health, vaccinology, and neglected tropical disease control. He serves as founding dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he is also Director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair in Tropical Pediatrics, and University Professor of Biology at Baylor College of Medicine.GET IN TOUCHBecome a CareTalk Podcast sponsor: https://www.caretalkpodcast.com/work-with-us Guest appearance requests: https://www.caretalkpodcast.com/contact-us Visit us at https://www.caretalkpodcast.comFOLLOW CARETALK Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Follow John on Twitter Follow David on Twitter#healthcarepodcast #healthcareindustry #healthcarebusiness #healthcarepolicy #ushealthcare #misinformation #peterhotez #vaccine #covid19 #science #medicine #pediatrics #publichealth #coronavirus 

In this episode Charlie and Charlotte talk to Professor Nicola Stonehouse, Professor in Molecular Virology at the University of Leeds, about why we're talking about polio again, and what we need to know about it.Music: Mango Breeze - Allison & VexentoVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hzcHUK4WaASupport by RFM - NCM: https://youtu.be/xMUOdsywWcs

Dr. Peter Hotez is the Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine as well as the Co-Director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. Dr. Hotez earned his Bachelor's degree from Yale, his PhD from Rockefeller University, and his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College. He has authored over 600 original papers and 5 single-author books including “Vaccines did not cause Rachel's autism” and “Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-science.” In December of 2021, Dr. Hotez led efforts to develop a low-cost recombinant protein COVID vaccine, a patent-free vaccine that has received emergency use authorization in India and for which he and his co-director Dr. Maria Bottazzi have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is a staunch advocate for vaccines and a crucial voice against the anti-vaccine and anti-science movements and makes frequent appearances on national television. Today, Dr. Hotez discusses the importance of his MD-PhD training in preparing him for his unique career and shares his thoughts on the role of Physician Scientists in science communication and advocacy. Credits: Our deepest thanks to Dr. Hotez for being on the podcast. Follow Dr. Hotez on Twitter: @peterhotez Faculty page: https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/peter-hotez-23229 Website: https://peterhotez.org/ Host: Bejan Saeedi Co-Host and Audio Engineer – Joe Behnke Executive Producer and Social Media Coordinator – Carey Jansen Executive Producer – Michael Sayegh Faculty Advisors – Dr. Mary Horton and Dr. Brian Robinson Twitter: @behindthescope_ Instagram: @behindthemicroscopepod Facebook: @behindthemicroscope1 Website: behindthemicroscope.com

We are just back from the Molecular Virology Workshop in West Palm Beach. This is a terrific meeting that is organized by the Pan-American Society for Clinical Virology or PASCV. The workshop immediately precedes the Clinical Virology Symposium that ASM organizes and many of us like to attend both. Today we'll be talking about some of the high points of the Molecular Virology Workshop, with two members of the organizing committee from PASCV. Guests: Dr. Erin Graf, Director, Clinical Microbiology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix Arizona. Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, Director of Medical Affairs at Cepheid. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at https://jcm.asm.org and on https://twitter.com/JClinMicro. Links: On-demand sessions from PASCV https://www.pascv.org/page/MVW Visit journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow JCM on Twitter via @JClinMicro

Dr. Jerome H. Kim, M.D., is the Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI - https://www.ivi.int/), a nonprofit International Organization established in 1997 as an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), dedicated to the discovery, development and delivery of safe, effective and affordable vaccines for global public health. IVI is headquartered in Seoul and hosted by the Republic of Korea with 36 member countries and the WHO on its treaty. Dr. Kim served as the Principal Deputy and Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis at Military HIV Research Program at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), in addition to being the Project Manager for the HIV Vaccines and Advanced Concepts Evaluation Project Management Offices, U.S. Army Medical Material Development Activity. Dr. Kim was also a Professor within the Division of Infectious Diseases of the Department of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. From 2004 – 2009 he led the Army's Phase III HIV vaccine trial (RV144), the first demonstration that an HIV vaccine could protect against infection, as well as subsequent studies that identified laboratory correlates of protection and sequence changes in breakthrough HIV infections after vaccination. Dr. Kim graduated from the Yale University School of Medicine in 1984 and completed his training in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Duke University Medical Center. In 2013 he received the John Maher Award for Research Excellence from the Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and throughout his career to date, Dr. Kim has authored over 200 publications.

Dr. Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D. (https://peterhotez.org/), is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also Chief of the Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine and the Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics . Dr. Hotez is also Rice University's Baker Institute fellow in disease and poverty and Co-Director of Parasites Without Borders (https://parasiteswithoutborders.com/), a global nonprofit organization with a focus on those suffering from parasitic diseases in subtropical environments. Dr. Hotez is an internationally recognized physician-scientist with expertise in neglected tropical diseases and vaccine development. He leads the only product development partnership for developing new vaccines for hookworm, schistosomiasis and Chagas disease, and is just coming off a major win for emergency use approval of his team's Corbevax protein sub-unit COVID-19 vaccine, of which he, and previous guest to the show, Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, were recently nominated for a Nobel Prize. Dr. Hotez is the author of more than 400 original papers, as well as the books Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases - The Neglected Tropical Diseases and Their Impact on Global Health and Development, Blue Marble Health - An Innovative Plan to Fight Diseases of the Poor amid Wealth, Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician, and Autism Dad, and Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-science. Dr. Hotez previously served as president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and as founding editor-in-chief of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. In 2011, he was awarded the Abraham Horwitz Award for Excellence in Leadership in Inter-American Health by the Pan American Health Organization of the World Health Organization. In 2015, the White House and U.S. State Department selected Dr. Hotez as a United States science envoy. Dr. Hotez obtained his undergraduate degree in molecular biophysics from Yale University (Phi Beta Kappa), followed by a Ph.D. in biochemical parasitology from Rockefeller University, and an M.D. from Weill Cornell Medical College.

Bacteriophages are interesting viruses that target bacteria and have been used for therapeutic purposes. Recently, the emergence of antibiotic resistance has spurred a renewed interest in using these viruses or their products as therapeutic tools against recalcitrant human pathogens. AAC has also published a recent manuscript from ARLG to guide the use of phages in clinical practice. We will discuss with experts in the field the state-of-the-art in phage therapy. Objectives: • Understand the use of bacteriophages and their products for therapeutic purposes • Discuss the clinical applications of phages • Debate the barriers for developing of phages as therapeutic tools to treat multidrug-resistant infections Guests: • Vincent A. Fischetti, Ph.D, Professor and Director, Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY. • Saima Aslam, MBBS, Professor of Medicine, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA. • Anthony Maresso, PhD. Professor and Founder of TAILOR Labs, Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy Journal and hosted by AAC Editor in Chief, Cesar Arias. AAC is available at https://asm.org/aac. Follow Cesar on twitter at https://twitter.com/SuperBugDoc for AAC updates. Subscribe to the podcast at https://asm.org/eic

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. Are the holidays triggering for you? Do you feel overwhelmed by the preparations? Maybe seeing family at this time of year leads to anxiety and conflict for you? According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. Today, our experts talk about ways to deal with depression during the holidays, signs and symptoms of depression, as well as what you can do to manage your mental wellness during this time of year. We also have a special guest who shares her own personal story of developing seasonal depression, how she learned to manage it, and ways to help others. If you'd like to talk to someone to get help, our guests recommend reaching out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or calling 800-273-8255 for more information. Additionally, the CDC announced new recommendations regarding the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, so we'll explore what you should know if you received the J&J shot. Guests: Dr. Hana El Sahly Professor of molecular virology and microbiology and of medicine/infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Jeff Temple Psychologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston Director of the Center for Violence Prevention Tashell Williams Certified Wellness Coach Author of the upcoming book One Lung to Live Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues. Audio from today's show will be available after 5 p.m. CT. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, and other apps.

Omicron Covid variant – what do we know? Claudia examines key questions about the new variant with Professor of Molecular Virology, Jonathan Ball. Plus growing evidence that pollution has a negative effect on our mental health. And a new way of testing for TB in children. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright (Image: Microscopic view of influenza virus cells. Photo credit: Panorama Images/Getty Images.)

Nearly two years after Covid-19 was first detected in Wuhan, the world is still very much in a pandemic. The toughest phase may behind us, but we are still faced with the possibility of new variants of concern, waning immunity and vaccine evasion. As first-generation vaccines start to show their weaknesses, next-generation vaccines are becoming more and more important. While hundreds of vaccines are in the pipeline, there are a few frontrunners and other interesting candidates that might be meaningful additions to our Covid vaccine armamentarium. Experts discuss the current status of a number of protein-based vaccines including candidates from Novavax, Vaxine, Clover, GSK/Sanofi and others. DNA vaccines are also still an attraction with the first authorization for Zydus Cadila in India. Other mRNA vaccines might offer meaningful differentiation, while vaccines targeting the S and N protein might also have greater importance when it comes to tackling future variants. While nasal and oral vaccines seem appealing for the prevention of infection and transmission, they also have some inevitable hurdles to overcome and are still a long way off materializing. Experts discuss future manufacturing hurdles that will require greater global collaboration to achieve future vaccine production and distribution goals. Finally, experts discuss the current global status so far and forecasts for exiting the pandemic state and entering a livable endemic.  Expert Guests: -- Reynald Castaneda is the Clinical Trials Editor of GlobalData Media in London, covering drug development for investors and the pharmaceutical industry. -- Dr Maria Elena Bottazzi is the Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics (Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, US. She is a leading expert in vaccine development and tropical diseaes. -- Dr Deborah Fuller is a Professor of Microbiology at The University of Washington School of Medicine. A veteran vaccinologist and researcher, she has been working on vaccine development for the last 30 years with specific research around DNA and RNA technologies.  -- Dr Shabir Madhi is Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He is also the co-founder of the African Leadership Initiative for Vaccinology Expertise (ALIVE). -- Dr Nikolai Petrovsky is Professor of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia and vice-president and secretary-general of the International Immunomics Society. He is the founder of vaccine biotech, Vaxine, which has a protein based vaccine for Covid-19 in its pipeline. -- Dr Monica Gandhi is Professor of Medicine and Associate Division Chief (Clinical Operations/Education) of the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at University California San Francisco/San Francisco General Hospital. -- Dr Prashant Yadav is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Global Development and Affiliate Professor of Technology and Operations Management at INSEAD. Yadav has with governments and global organizations to improve medical product supply chains. Previous roles include Strategy Leader-Supply Chain at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Chair of the Market Dynamics Advisory Group of the Global Fund. -- Dr. Nadia Sam-Agudu is Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Immunology/Infectious Diseases) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Senior Technical Advisor at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. She conducts public health and implementation research in maternal and child health, with a focus on HIV and other major infectious diseases in African countries.

Omicron Covid variant – what do we know? Claudia examines key questions about the new variant with Professor of Molecular Virology, Jonathan Ball. Plus growing evidence that pollution has a negative effect on our mental health. And a new way of testing for TB in children. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright (Image: Microscopic view of influenza virus cells. Photo credit: Panorama Images/Getty Images.)

Vaccination in children has fueled a global expert debate specifically around the risk benefit consideration that some may find acceptable and others may find questionable. While children were largely protected from the virus early on in the pandemic, we've come to a point where children are getting sick, some of them severely ill and dying. Experts discuss the changing risks of Covid in kids and how the benefits of vaccination in kids measure up versus potential adverse events. We first look at inactivated vaccines, which are now the most used vaccines in children (as young as 2 years of age) and we take a special deep dive into Chile's rationale for its large scale vaccination drive to get kids back into school. mRNA vaccines are also starting to get rolled out with Pfizer just receiving a US authorization in kids aged 5-11, and experts discuss the risk benefits and greater unknowns of this new technology, particularly around the nuance of dosing, Experts discuss the overall rationale for vaccination when looking at efficacy, safety and potential mechanistic concerns. Vaccinating kids and its overall impact on this pandemic remains debated, although perhaps not in Africa, where children may be the most at need of vaccination to reach global herd immunity, yet stand to be at the end of the queue. Meanwhile, as the issue around pregnancy continues to generate vaccine hesitancy, experts discuss new available data that speaks to the the risk/benefit profile in pregnant women and women wanting to conceive. Expert Guests -- Dr Miguel O'Ryan is Professor of Microbiology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile, where he is also Director of International Affairs. His research focuses on molecular and clinical aspects of enteric disease, pediatric vaccines and infection of the immunocompromised host. -- Dr. Nadia Sam-Agudu is Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Immunology/Infectious Diseases) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Senior Technical Advisor at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. She conducts public health and implementation research in maternal and child health, with a focus on HIV and other major infectious diseases in African countries. -- Dr Nikolai Petrovsky is Professor of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia and vice-president and secretary-general of the International Immunomics Society. He is the founder of vaccine biotech, Vaxine, which has a protein based vaccine for Covid-19 in its pipeline. -- Dr Maria Elena Bottazzi is the Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics (Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, US. She is a leading expert in the field of vaccine development and tropical diseases. -- Dr Deborah Fuller is a Professor of Microbiology at The University of Washington School of Medicine. A veteran vaccinologist and researcher, she has been working on vaccine development for the last 30 years with specific research around DNA and RNA technologies.

With around 7 billion doses administered, the vaccines have largely been proven safe, but there are still major concerns around rare serious side-effects and long term safety unknowns. Experts discuss how safety events have been picked up via public reporting systems -- which have been both a help and a hindrance for the safety discussion -- and how they are being further analyzed. Experts breakdown real world data and the occurrence of rare serious adverse events including VITT (with the adenoviral vector vaccines) and myocarditis (with the mRNA vaccines). While the newer modalities have led to a few surprise fatalities, the inactivated viral vaccines remain clear of fatal serious events and experts discuss what risk ratio is generally acceptable in a deadly pandemic. Experts also discuss extreme safety alarm being perpetuated by social media, particularly the claim that vaccines are killing more people than they are saving. They stress the need for better public communication and education, whilst it is important to vet public sources that may be overdramatizing certain risks by promoting flawed analyses. Expert Guests: -- Dr Jeffrey Morris is Professor of Biostatistics and Director, Biostatistics Division at the University of Pennsylvania, US. His research focuses on developing quantitative methods to extract knowledge from biomedical big data and he set up a blog dedicated to issues concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. -- Dr Nikolai Petrovsky is Professor of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia and vice-president and secretary-general of the International Immunomics Society. He is the founder of vaccine biotech, Vaxine, which has a protein based vaccine for Covid-19 in its pipeline. -- Dr Maria Elena Bottazzi is the Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics (Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, US. She is a leading expert in the field of vaccine development and tropical diseases. -- Dr Miguel O'Ryan is Professor of Microbiology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile, where is also Director of International Affairs. His research focuses on molecular and clinical aspects of enteric disease, pediatric vaccines and infection of the immunocompromised host.

Since the last episode in February, a lot has happened with the vaccination rollout -- so we're back for a few more episodes. But we've changed our name from The CoVax Files to The Vax Files, which was was done mainly to avoid any confusion with GAVI/WHO's COVAX facility and also to maintain our independence from any official organization. As we approach the end of 2021 and almost 7 billion administered vaccine doses, we now have a good chunk of real world effectiveness data available. During this episode, experts walk us through some important datasets that can speak to how the vaccines have been working, with particular nuances around the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta variant. Experts take a deep dive into real world evidence data in different countries to elucidate overall protection, antibody waning, protection against severe disease and death as well as the likelihood of transmission when vaccinated. Finally, experts discuss the dangers of misinterpreting headline or summary data, which has been a regular occurrence in the media and social media during this pandemic. Expert Guests: -- Dr Jeffrey Morris is Professor of Biostatistics and Director, Biostatistics Division at the University of Pennsylvania, US. His research focuses on developing quantitative methods to extract knowledge from biomedical big data and he set up a blog dedicated to issues concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. -- Dr Nikolai Petrovsky is Professor of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia and vice-president and secretary-general of the International Immunomics Society. He is the founder of vaccine biotech, Vaxine, which has a protein based vaccine for Covid-19 in its pipeline. -- Dr Maria Elena Bottazzi is the Associate Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics (Tropical Medicine) and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, US. She is a leading expert in the field of vaccine development and tropical diseases. -- Dr Andrew Read is Professor of Biology and Entomology at PennState University, US. His research specializes in the ecology and evolutionary genetics of infectious disease, which includes the impact of vaccination on virus evolution.

Pfizer Booster shots will be made available shortly and we will be receiving them six months after our second shot. Professor Damien Purcell, Head of Molecular Virology at the Peter Doherty Institute from the Uni of Melbourne joined Matthew.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi  is Distinguished Professor of Biology, Associate Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, and Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, and Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Bottazzi is also Co-Director, Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Adjunct Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, and Editor-in-Chief, Current Tropical Medicine Reports. Dr. Botazzi has a degree in microbiology from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, a PhD from University Of Florida, did a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at University Of Pennsylvania and at University Of Miami Hospital And Clinics, and a Fellowship at American Association for the Advancement of Science Leshner Leadership Institute. Dr. Botazzi is involved in a range of activities related to the development of novel vaccines and adjuvants for neglected tropical diseases (Chagas Disease, Leishmaniasis, Human Hookworm Vaccine, Schistosomiasis Vaccine), as well as extensive work on Covid vaccines.

Barry Margulies, Professor of Molecular Virology discusses his career at Towson University, his work studying viruses and how this interest arose. https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/departments/stem/

Today we talk to Dr Nicholas Eyre, a Molecular virologist at Flinders University. We recently ran an episode about the controversial gain of function research, which is a technique used in virology and genetics to knock a function into a virus, such as transmissibility, to learn how it evolves. One thing that resonated from that particular interview was the importance of understanding the properties of a virus well before an outbreak occurs. Our previous episode looked at the Zika virus, and today we look at Dengue fever. Today's interview is hosted by Cosmos journalist Dr Deborah Devis.Find the science of everything at Cosmos Magazine website Subscribe to Cosmos Magazine (print) or the Cosmos WeeklyWatch and listen to all our Cosmos Briefings

Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queens University, Belfast on why people should hold-off on travelling abroad if they are not fully vaccinated.

This episode of The Chain features a live panel discussion moderated by Erica Ollmann Saphire, PhD of La Jolla Institute for Immunology. Expert panelists from academia and government assess the COVID-19 antibody and vaccine development thus far, including what did and did not go well during the pandemic. They also look towards the future and the role mRNA vaccines may play for diseases like influenza, what we learned about the United States’ ability to manufacture during surge production, and what infrastructure is still needed to fight both the current crisis and future outbreaks. Erica Ollmann Saphire, PhD, Professor, La Jolla Institute for ImmunologyPeter Hotez, MD, PhD, FASTMH, FAAP, Dean, National School of Tropical Medicine; Professor, Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular Virology & Microbiology; Co-Head, Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine; Health Policy Scholar, Baylor College of MedicineLakshmi Krishnan, PhD, Vice-President, Life Sciences, National Research Council Canada, Government of CanadaPeter W. Marks, MD, PhD, Director, FDA CBER

Phages or bacteriophages are bacterial viruses that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The use of phages to treat infections is called phage therapy. In this episode, Dr. Anthony Maresso an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology and expert in bacterial pathogenesis will be discussing the work being done at Baylor to develop phage therapy for the most vulnerable patients. As well as his partnership with Dr. Barbara Trautner an infectious disease clinician and researcher at BCM and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She will be discussing her research into phage use for catheter-associated urinary tract infections. They will give their insight into the use of phages to combat the epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections today.

A NOTE ABOUT THIS SPECIAL REBROADCAST: In commemoration of the one year anniversary of the start of the pandemic, and in honor of our amazing new Co-IFFer, super host Gaby Paniccia, we proudly present Gaby's debut appearance on the show. One year ago this week… it was a scary time, with so much uncertainty, and with science as our only hope of grasping what was happening. Matt had seen a livestream in which Gaby was explaining COVID-19 and all that might happen, and her gift for science communication was so evident that we asked her to come on the show and help us deal with this sudden REAL LIFE IF in which we were living. It's fascinating to hear what the view was like as we first confronted the new state of the planet at the dawn of the pandemic. Nearly a year later, Gaby would find herself joining the experimental trials for the Pfizer vaccine, and we are all enjoying the incredible benefits of the hard, hard work of scientists like Gaby today as we get shots in our arms! Of course, the pandemic continues even today, and the virus is still running amok, and our knowledge about it continues to grow. All the science Gaby teaches us in this episode remains fantastically easy to understand, revelatory, and empowering, as she helps us understand what is going on INSIDE THE VIRUS. Strap in, goggles on, and lets RIDE… back to the future… March 25, 2020! ----- RIDE INSIDE THE VIRUS We hope you're saying safe, practicing good social distancing and hopefully not hoarding all the toilet paper! This week, we've got another Coronavirus-related WHAT THE IF for some self isolation edutainment: What The IF… We could go inside a VIRUS?! GABY PANICCIA, a graduate student in Molecular Virology at the world famous Rockefeller University, uses her imagination to shrink us all down to nanometer scale and she takes us on a FANTASIC VOYAGE! We swim into cells to see how a coronavirus works, up front and all too personal! How big are those spikes really? So put on your innerspace suits, and get ready for a ride of a lifetime! --- Special thanks to Kyle Crichton, Howard Zheng and Illia Zheng for their help with the show. --- Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! --- Want to support the show? Click a rating or add a review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Don't miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Vaccines have revolutionized public healthcare, helping us eradicate a number of debilitating and deadly diseases. And yet, many people are hesitant to get vaccinated for COVID-19. So, how do the new Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines work? And are they truly safe? On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Dr. Dan Milner are joined by Ms. Lindsey Clark, MPH, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor in the Department of Laboratory Sciences at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Dr. Hana M. El Sahly, MD, Associate Professor of Molecular Virology and Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Baylor College of Medicine, and Mr. Anthony Reed, Founder and CEO of Kidney Trails and ASCP Patient Champion, to discuss vaccine safety. Dr. El Sahly explains how the COVID vaccines work, walking listeners through the most common reactions to the Pfizer and Moderna iterations and describing how a vaccine’s safety is ensured—even when its release is accelerated via Emergency Use Authorization. Listen in for Ms. Clark and Mr. Reed’s insight on how they, as high-risk patients, made the decision to get vaccinated and learn what we can do to encourage vaccination among those with reservations. Topics Covered · The four main categories of vaccines and why live, attenuated vaccines are not recommended for immunocompromised or immunosuppressed individuals· How mRNA vaccines deliver the code necessary to trigger an immune response and the most common local and systemic reactions to the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines· The rigorous testing and approval process for vaccines · Why COVID-19 vaccines received Emergency Use Authorization and how EUA differs from approval· Safety data the medical community is gathering as COVID vaccines are rolled out · Open questions around whether existing COVID vaccines protect against variants· Concerns of high-risk patients about getting the COVID vaccine · Why it’s crucial for people who’ve been vaccinated to continue social distancing and wearing masks until we’ve built herd immunity· Hesitations around getting vaccinated for COVID and what how to encourage vaccination among those with reservations Connect with ASCP ASCP ASCP on FacebookASCP on InstagramASCP on Twitter Connect with Ms. Clark Ms. Clark on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. El Sahly Dr. El Sahly at Baylor College of Medicine Connect with Mr. Reed Mr. Reed on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. Milner & Dr. Mulder Dr. Milner on TwitterDr. Mulder on Twitter Resources Inside the Lab in the ASCP StoreModerna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial DataPfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial DataASCP Patient Champions

To start comparing quotes and simplify insurance-buying check out Policygenius: http://policygenius.com/minuteearth. Thanks to Policygenius for sponsoring this video! I found a really cool coronavirus illustration that led me to learn about viral attachment and entry. LEARN MORE ************** To learn more about this topic, start your googling with these keywords: Virus: a submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of an organism. The study of viruses is known as virology. Virion: a complete virus particle, and consists of nucleic acid surrounded by a protective coat of protein called a capsid. Coronaviruses: a group of related RNA viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans and birds, they cause respiratory tract infections that can range from mild to lethal and include some cases of the common cold, SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2: the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the respiratory illness responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Class I fusion proteins: resemble influenza virus hemagglutinin in their structure. Post-fusion, the active site has a trimer of α-helical coiled-coils Proteins featured in this video: - SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) Protein - Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan (HSPG) (Syndecan-4, especifically) - Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) - Furin - Transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) If you liked this week’s video, you might also like: Coronaviruses 101: Focus on Molecular Virology by Britt Glaunsinger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_bOhZd6ieM Virology Lectures 2021: Attachment and entry by Vincent Racaniello https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7grtc4k1fhg Building a visual consensus model of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle https://animationlab.utah.edu/cova SUPPORT MINUTEEARTH ************************** If you like what we do, you can help us!: - Become our patron: https://patreon.com/MinuteEarth - Share this video with your friends and family - Leave us a comment (we read them!) CREDITS ********* Ever Salazar | Script Writer, Narrator, Director, and Illustrator Aldo de Vos (Know Art) | Music MinuteEarth is produced by Neptune Studios LLC https://neptunestudios.info OUR STAFF ************ Sarah Berman • Arcadi Garcia Rius David Goldenberg • Julián Gustavo Gómez Melissa Hayes • Alex Reich • Henry Reich Peter Reich • Ever Salazar • Kate Yoshida OTHER CREDITS ***************** SARS-CoV-2 Fusion, 2020 - Illustration by David S. Goodsell, RCSB Protein Data Bank; doi: 10.2210/rcsb_pdb/goodsell-gallery-026 http://pdb101.rcsb.org/sci-art/goodsell-gallery/sars-cov-2-fusion Coronavirus outbreak (covid 19) explained through 3D Medical Animation - Video by scientificanimations.com https://youtu.be/I-Yd-_XIWJg?t=208 Coronavirus, Explained: This Pandemic - Video by Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/81273378 How the Coronavirus Hijacks Your Cells - Video by Bloomberg Quicktake https://youtu.be/4S3DXXtRZZg?t=128 Ink Drop/Drip in water - Video by CyberWebFX https://www.youtube.com/c/CyberWebFX OUR LINKS ************ Youtube | https://youtube.com/MinuteEarth TikTok | https://tiktok.com/@minuteearth Twitter | https://twitter.com/MinuteEarth Instagram | https://instagram.com/minute_earth Facebook | https://facebook.com/Minuteearth Website | https://minuteearth.com Apple Podcasts| https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/minuteearth/id649211176 REFERENCES ************** Afzelius, B. (1994). Ultrastructure of human nasal epithelium during an episode of coronavirus infection. Virchows Archiv 424:295-300 Bestle, D., Heindl, M., Limburg, H., et all (2020). TMPRSS2 and furin are both essential for proteolytic activation of SARS-CoV-2 in human airway cells. doi: 10.26508/lsa.202000786 Buijsers B., et al (2020) Increased Plasma Heparanase Activity in COVID-19 Patients. Front. Immunol. 11:575047. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.575047 Casalino, L., et al (2020). Beyond Shielding: The Roles of Glycans in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein ACS Central Science 2020 6 (10), 1722-1734. doi: 10.1021/acscentsci.0c01056 Clausen, T. M., et al (2020). SARS-CoV-2 Infection Depends on Cellular Heparan Sulfate and ACE2. Cell Volume 183, Issue 4, Pages 1043-1057.e15. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.09.033 Elenius, K & Jalkanen, M. (1994). Function of the syndecans - a family of cell surface proteoglycans. Journal of Cell Science 107, 2975-2982 Shang, J. et al (2020). Cell entry mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. PNAS May 26, 2020 117 (21) 11727-11734. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2003138117 Thomas, G. (2002). Furin at the cutting edge: From protein traffic to embryogenesis and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2002 October; 3(10): 753–766 Zhang, Q., et al (2020). Heparan sulfate assists SARS-CoV-2 in cell entry and can be targeted by approved drugs in vitro. Cell Discovery (2020) 6:80. doi: 10.1038/s41421-020-00222-5

Amanda Ferguson, journalist in Belfast, and Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology in Queens University Belfast, discuss how the powersharing administration has outlined its pathway to recovery.

This podcast is the first of two podcasts that discusses the novel COVID-19 virus. Dr. Louis Mansky, a professor and the Director for the Institute of Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and Dr. Haylee Veazey, an emergency medicine physician with Hennepin Healthcare, provide an interesting discussion on the virus, testing and the COVID-19 vaccine. Enjoy the podcast! Objectives:     Upon completion of this podcast, participants should be able to: Describe the pathophysiology of the COVID -19 virus. Recognize tests available for the COVID-19 virus, the methodology and efficacy of each. Describe the methodology in the development of COVID vaccines. CME credit is only offered to Ridgeview Providers & Allied Health Staff for this podcast activity. Complete and submit the online evaluation form, after viewing the activity.  Upon successful completion of the evaluation, you will be e-mailed a certificate of completion within approximately 2 weeks.  You may contact the accredited provider with questions regarding this program at  rmccredentialing@ridgeviewmedical.org. Click on the following link for your CME credit: CME Evaluation: "Clinical COVID-19 Review (PART 1): Virus, Testing, and Vaccine" (**If you are listening to the podcasts through iTunes on your laptop or desktop, it is not possible to link directly with the CME Evaluation for unclear reasons. We are trying to remedy this. You can, however, link to the survey through the Podcasts app on your Apple and other smart devices, as well as through Spotify, Stitcher and other podcast directory apps and on your computer browser at these websites. We apologize for the inconvenience.)  DISCLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT  The information provided through this and all Ridgeview podcasts as well as any and all accompanying files, images, videos and documents is/are for CME/CE and other institutional learning and communication purposes only and is/are not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician, healthcare provider or other healthcare personnel relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition; and are property/rights of Ridgeview Medical Center & Clinics.  Any re-reproduction of any of the materials presented would be infringement of copyright laws.  It is Ridgeview's intent that any potential conflict should be identified openly so that the listeners may form their own judgments about the presentation with the full disclosure of the facts. It is not assumed any potential conflicts will have an adverse impact on these presentations. It remains for the audience to determine whether the speaker’s outside interest may reflect a possible bias, either the exposition or the conclusions presented. Ridgeview's CME planning committee members and presenter(s) have disclosed they have no significant financial relationship with a pharmaceutical company and have disclosed that no conflict of interest exists with the presentation/educational event. Thanks for listening.

Covid-19 has reached global pandemic proportions and has altered our way of life significantly. Starting in China and spreading all across the world, it has exacted an enormous human and financial price. The United States is now facing a health and economic crisis without close parallel in our history. What is the current status of the pandemic in the United States and Texas? Where do we stand with vaccine development and deployment? How will anti-vaccine sentiment impact public health? And what should the Biden Administration’s Covid policy be when it assumes power in January? This episode's guest is Dr. Peter J. Hotez. He is the Baker Institute Fellow in Disease and Poverty. Dr. Hotez is Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he is also Chief of the Section of Pediatric Tropical Medicine and the Texas Children's Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics. He is a nationally renowned expert on infectious diseases and vaccines who has been at the forefront of informing the American public throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queen's University Belfast, on allergic reactions developed by two NHS workers after receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Perhaps it's the shot in the arm that a Covid world needs right now. The first vaccine in the UK - and they're trying the same in other countries too - Or is it too soon to celebrate? With many saying they won’t trust the jab - and it’s real effectiveness is yet unknown. This is RT. Guests: Oksana Pyzik Global Health Adviser Jonathan Ball Professor of Molecular Virology at Nottingham University Sian Griffiths Emeritus Professor of Public Health at Chinese University of Hong Kong Roundtable is a discussion program with an edge. Broadcast out of London and presented by David Foster, it's about bringing people to the table, listening to every opinion, and analysing every point of view. From fierce debate to reflective thinking, Roundtable discussions offer a different perspective on the issues that matter to you. Watch it every weekday at 15:30 GMT on TRT World.

Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queen's University in Belfast

Episode 45 BEaTS Research Radio - Interview with Dr. Marc-André Langlois. Hallie Arnott from the University of Ottawa talks to Dr. Marc-André Langlois Canada Research Chair in Molecular Virology and Intrinsic Immunity and Professor at the University of Ottawa about the “Stop the Spread Ottawa” project that seeks to better understand the immunity of COVID-19 in humans. Tune in to learn about the ongoing research to tackle COVID-19 in Canada. Learn more about Stop the Spread Ottawa: https://omc.ohri.ca/SSO/ Learn more about Dr. Langlois research: https://med.uottawa.ca/bmi/en/people/langlois-marc-andre

Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queen's University Belfast, discusses the rise in cases in Northern Ireland and the most recent outbreak in Queen's University Belfast.

Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queen's University Belfast, discusses the rise in cases in Northern Ireland and the most recent outbreak in Queen's University Belfast.

Dr Ava Easton speaks to Professor Peter Hotez about Covid-19 and the search for a vaccine.   Professor Peter Hotez is Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine and a Professor at the Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, which have been at the forefront of both research and treatment of the Covid-19 infection.

This week's remarkable person is Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute in Seoul, Korea. Formerly, Dr. Kim was Principal Deputy and Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Pathogenesis at the U.S. Military HIV Research Program. He is working to help push forward its effort to solve one the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century, the decoding of the human immune system, specifically the coronavirus but also working on HIV and other viruses. The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is the world’s only international organization devoted exclusively to developing and introducing new and improved vaccines to protect the world’s poorest people, especially children in developing countries.

NI lockdown changes – with 95% of us vulnerable to infection - are we reopening too much, too soon? Stephen spoke to Professor Ultan Power, Professor of Molecular Virology at Queen's University Belfast, and commentator Mick Fealty. Also on the podcast, several hundred people took to the city centre on Saturday as part of what was described as a "protect our statues" protest outside Belfast City Hall. The PSNI said there were several different protests across NI on Saturday and no arrests or fines were made. This was in contrast to the Black Live Matter demonstrations the previous week when 60 Community Resolution Notices (CRNS) and fines - for breaches of the Health Protection Regulations were handed out and a number of people - including the organisers - were referred to the PPS for prosecution. Stephen spoke to Lillian Seenoi-Barr, director of programmes at the North West Migrant Forum organised the BKLM Derry protest, Alliance Party MLA and member of the policing board John Blair and commentator Frank Shivers.

Fast-Tracking a CoV-19 Vaccine: Why Should We Worry? Richard Gale and Gary Null PhD Progressive Radio Network, May 21, 2020   The CoV-19 pandemic is now exposing the hidden agendas and motives of the powers that be in government, in the pharmaceutical industry and Wall Street, and in the media. Despairingly opponents of vaccine mandates are largely divided. Many Trump supporters in the so-called anti-vaccination community believed he would be their savior to protect vaccine exemptions and avert compulsory mandates. Nevertheless, during his watch draconian mandate laws to ban religious exemption for children to attend public schools have been signed by the governors of California and New York. Throughout the CoV-19 pandemic, Trump has waffled wildly, jumping on and off the vaccine band wagon depending upon his daily whims. Early he stated there was no need for a vaccine since the virus would magically disappear and no longer be a threat. It was his gut feeling and not surprisingly he was wrong. Yet during a press conference on March 14th, Trump announced the unveiling of his Operation Warp Speed agenda to accelerate development of a CoV-19 vaccine and have it ready this year. Trump is now fully on board with the pro-vaccination agenda. Moreover, he ordered that the military will be "mobilized so at the end of the year, we're going to be able to give it to a lot people very, very rapidly."  His newly appointed Warp Speed advisor is a venture capitalist and a former chairman of GlaxoSmithKline's vaccine division, Moncel Slaoui. Often in order to understand Trump's strategies, follow the money trail, especially if the money trails leads to sealing loyalty to the president. However, his probable immediate motivation is for reelection and to increase the profits of pharmaceutical and investor profiles as repayment for those loyalties.  We can therefore reasonably expect, despite what has already been stated, that Trump may nationally mandate a CoV-19 vaccine. There are voices in Trump's camp who favor mandates. One of Trump's leading attorneys is Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz who recently went on record saying, "Let me put it very clearly, you have no constitutional right to endanger the public and spread disease.... You have no right not to be vaccinated, you have no right not to wear a mask, you have no right to open up your business.... if you refuse to be vaccinated, the state has the power to literally take you to a doctor's office and plunge a needle into your arm." What might be the downside if a vaccine pushed on the public en masse is discovered to not work or is found unsafe in the long-term? Worse, what might be the consequences of a flawed vaccine that becomes mandated and required as policy to attend schools, work or even to leave the home to shop? We might be faced with an epidemic of vaccine-related illnesses and death on a scale that could dwarf the current CoV-19 pandemic. There would be a greater rationale to push forward a fast-tracked vaccine if the private vaccine manufacturers were held legally liable for vaccine-related injuries and deaths. However, this was laid to rest by the Reagan administration after the passage of the Vaccine Injury Compensation Act in 1986, which freed the pharmaceutical industry from personal injury lawsuits. Consequently, there is no incentive whatsoever for the vaccine industry to perform thorough due diligence analyses and reviews and to adopt gold standard scientific measures to create a safe and effective vaccine. In effect, they have free rein to develop vaccines according to their own rules. According to German oncologist Claus Kohnlein, we may well be in the era of "virus mania."  The prevailing medical establishment has become dominated by a rapidly expanding private industry obsessed with viruses and the invention of pandemics for enormous profit. This obsession has hijacked not only medical practice and legislators who are determined to mandate vaccination, but has also infiltrated the entire mainstream media. This is despite consensual confirmatory evidence that some of these viruses may not be dangerous enough to warrant a vaccine nor demand mass screening to monitor potential infection.  For example, University of Toronto professor emeritus of pathology, Dr. Etienne de Harven would have us ask: do molecular markers for retroviruses truly confirm the presence of a virus, or is this a human invention that substitutes the absence of identifiable viral proteins and particles? Embedded in all of the confusion over CoV-19 and the heated debates and uncertainty over life returning to normal, the mainstream chorus chants that stability will only resume after a vaccine is launched on the public. At this moment, Kohnlein's 2007 book Virus Mania: Avian Flu, Cervical Cancer, SARS, BSE, Hepatitis C, AIDS, Polio is essential reading to expose the life-threatening failures in modern medical science's efforts to tackle viral threats. And what Kohnlein outlines is being repeated again with CoV-19. The need for a vaccine in order for society and the economy to return to normal was clearly stated by Trump's Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. ".. for the economy to fully recover," he stated, "that may have to await the arrival of a vaccine." Unfortunately, besides the White House and nation being impatient and placing high hopes in a vaccine, we are also witnessing a careless zeal to cut regulatory corners. And this atmosphere could potentially end in a serious medical disaster on the not-too-distant horizon.  Virus mania is morphing into vaccine mania. That vaccine mania has become a reality is evidenced in the 133 vaccines currently in development worldwide targeted against CoV-19 according to the Milken Institute. Many challenges must be recognized and surmounted before an effective CoV-19 vaccine can be deemed safe..  The virus has already been shown to mutate rapidly despite beliefs that its RNA is stable. .Mutations of course naturally occur when a virus changes hosts, especially after jumping species. However, RNA viruses mutate more readily than larger DNA viruses such as herpes, HPV and smallpox.  University of Cambridge has identified three separate mutations since the Wuhan outbreak. Last month Los Alamos National Laboratory reported a recent mutation that is more contagious and transmittable than the original Wuhan strain.  Another strain was identified in India; the South China Morning Post reported that this Indian strain is being viewed as more virulent for the development of severe acute respiratory syndrome. The researchers from National Changhua University in Taiwan and Murdoch University in Australia warned that it "means current vaccine development against Sars-CoV-2 is at risk of becoming futile." The problem with mutations, similar to the challenges to create a universal flu vaccine, is whether or not any CoV-19 vaccine would generate sufficient immunity to combat future mutant strains and whether this is a cross-over of multi-strain immunity. Furthermore, some reports indicate that natural CoV-19 immunity may wane quickly.  This is an additional caution about any promises that a fast-tracked and poorly evaluated vaccine, which will bypass a rigorous regulatory review, will provide much if any long-term immunity. In a preliminary study, Columbia University researchers identified people who were reinfected with the same coronavirus strain within a single year. Twelve individuals tested positive two or three times for the same strain within 18 months.  Similar findings were noted in South Korea. The Columbia scientists' conclusion is that coronavirus "immunity seems to wane quickly."  Dr. Matthew Frieman at the University of Maryland is an expert in coronaviruses.  He states that "we get coronaviruses every winter even though we're seroconverted..... We really don't understand whether it is a change in the virus over time [ie., mutations] or antibodies that don't protect from infection." The consequences are that proposals for issuing immunity certificates or passports would be utterly futile, an extraordinary waste of funding and that would accomplish little. Since 2003 efforts have been made to develop coronavirus vaccines following the first SARS outbreak in China. All of these efforts failed either because of a lack in funding or because of observable serious adverse effects that necessitated the project to cease. To our knowledge, none of these efforts reached human trials because of serious adverse effects in animal trials. However, now we are witnessing one company Moderna bypassing animal studies with its new CoV vaccine and commencing with human trials. The company has already reported that its experimental vaccine showed signs of being "safe and provoked a strong immune response" in a first phase clinical trial; the vaccine was administered to a very small number of human participants (N=45) to determine safety and to measure the levels of volunteers' immune response. Just over half of the participants had recognizable antibodies, but these were "binding antibodies." What is critical for protection is neutralizing antibodies; and on this account only 4 of the 45 participants were actually "analyzed" to show promising neutralizing antibody results. Nor did Moderna report any T-cell activity, essential for fighting the virus. In other words, Moderna's premature reports are negligible for guaranteeing an effective and safe CoV-19 vaccine. We should remember this is only a first phase trial. The vaccine has a ways to go before it can be ruled effective. "If you look at vaccine development," stated Dr. Daniel Salmon, Director of Johns Hopkins' Institute for Vaccine Safety, "[there are] lots of vaccines that look good out of phase one that don't turn out to be good products." Prof. Michel Chossudovsky, a professor emeritus at the University of Ottawa, has documented NIAID's Dr. Anthony Fauci's support of Moderna's vaccine, and. according to Bobby Kennedy, Faico waved the needs for the company to test the vaccine in ferrets and primates and instead proceed directly into larger human trials. Both Moderna's and its German competitor CureVac's CoV-19 vaccine rely on mRNA technology, which carry strands of mRNA that encode CoV-19-specific proteins intended to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies. Bill Gates says he is "particularly excited by two new approaches that some of the candidates are taking: RNA and DNA vaccines." But modern medicine has no practical experience with such vaccines being given to entire populations; therefore, there is absolutely no past history to monitor potential long-term risks, such as whether an engineered genetic code of a viral antigen will recombine adversely with the body's own DNA and trigger other life-threatening injuries we have to be aware of. Despite the hype over Moderna's apparent success and a huge 39 percent rise in its stock price, a recent article in Nature warns us not to pop the Champaign corks yet. Moderna's data remains unpublished and many scientists worry the results may be "murky." It is worrisome that the company would make such an announcement before any data is made available for independent review. Seemingly this was solely for financial reasons; Moderna's premature claims were rewarded with a $1.3 million stock offering to bankroll its vaccine. Trump is also throwing his weight behind Moderna's vaccine: it is manufactured in the US, funded by the government, and Warp Speed advisor Slaoui sits on the board of the Lonza Group that is collaborating with Moderna. One caveat is that Moderna has never brought a vaccine nor a therapeutic product to the market and is therefore largely inexperienced. There is also no public release of consent forms that the trial participants are required to sign. And no indication of how much volunteers were paid. Are they being compensated with inordinate amounts beyond the industry's standards to accept high risk? None of this information has been provided. The Nature article also quotes Baylor University vaccine scientist and coronavirus expert Dr. Peter Hotez's response to Moderna's announcement, "I'm not convinced that this is really a positive result."  The article notes that "... most people who have recovered from COVID-19 without hospitalization did not produce high levels of ‘neutralizing antibodies', which block the virus from infecting cells. Moderna measured these potent antibodies in eight participants and found their levels to be similar to those of recovered patients." The most promising vaccine, Hotez believes, is being developed by Sinovac Biotech in China, but it requires three separate inoculations. Sinovac's vaccine after being administered to rhesus monkeys showed no presence of the virus found in the throats, lungs or rectums of the primates. Another vaccine being developed at Oxford University protected monkeys (only six in the trial) from pneumonia but the primates;' nasal passages contained as much of the virus as those unvaccinated. In other words, all vaccinated monkeys became infected. In addition, the antibody titers were extremely low, which suggests the animals may not be fully protected. Nevertheless, Oxford is interpreting these weak results as a success and will also push forward with recruiting participants for a large human trial. This sets a very disturbing precedent that will likely be imitated by other vaccine companies either now or during a future infectious pandemic.  Still other vaccines in development are entirely experimental and have no predecessor on the market. Noroavx has created a recombinant nanoparticle vaccine -- an artificially engineered fake replica of the actual virus. Since there is no vaccine on the current CDC schedule utilizing this technology, we have no idea of its long-term safety.  So what do earlier efforts at developing a coronovirus vaccine tell us? In 2012, a vaccine being developed by the University of Texas at Galveston and Baylor University observed pulmonary immunopathology in an animal study with mice. The researchers proposed the vaccine's pathology may be attributed to an adverse cytokine response, an observation a large number of physicians and researchers have made with persons severely affected with CoV-19.  A later vaccine effort in 2016 by the same institutions targeted the MERS coronavirus strain and observed lung immunopathology similar to infection with the wild virus. A year earlier, another vaccine effort led by the University of North Carolina's Vaccine Institute noted an increase in eosinophilic proinflammatory pulmonary responses in a mouse model. Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell that are associated with infections, allergies and cancers. However, an abnormal increase in eos, a condition called eosinophilia, can result in nasal allergies and even cancer. This raises a question whether the North Carolina vaccine could have potentially contributed to lung cancer? The vaccine was also shown to provide poor protection from infection both in the adjuvant and non-adjuvant vaccines. A later 2018 SARS vaccine trial with rhesus macaques conducted at Wuhan University led to antibody-dependent vaccine induced infections. The project was supposedly discontinued. Another SARS vaccine trial with ferrets led by researchers at the University of Manitoba observed a promising neutralizing antibody response; however there severe inflammatory responses were observed in the animals' livers. The scientists concluded that the vaccine was "associated with enhanced hepatitis." That vaccine project too seems to have been shelved. Japanese scientists in 2008 developed a SARS vaccine that utilized a recombinant vaccinia virus that expressed the SARS spike protein. Immunized mice exhibited increased infiltration of esoinophils in the lungs, a thickening of the alveolar epithelium, an uptake in cytokines contributing to abnormal inflammatory storms, and aggravated severe pneumonia. Clearly, the past history to develop a coronavirus vaccine is not encouraging. Jennifer Sun, a molecular biologist at Princeton, warns that due to past coronavirus vaccine failures, the CoV-19 signatures need to be fully evaluated before any human trials commence in order "to prevent organ damage upon viral challenge." Baylor University, which has attempted to develop a vaccine, knows the problems all too well. According to Dr. Robert Atmar at Baylor's Department of Molecular Virology,  coronaviruses "are notoriously difficult when it comes to vaccine development.... the concern is that if these vaccines were used in people, they could end up causing harm." Other scientists have issued warnings against hastily approving a vaccine without proper large, long-term clinical trials and scrupulous evaluation. For example, Dr. Paul Offit at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and one of the nation's most vocal advocates for compulsory vaccination, has criticized the shortened vaccine timelines being stated. In a Philadelphia Inquirer interview, Offit cautioned for the need of "extensive animal model testing" to be certain the vaccine "is safe in animals." This process, Offit says, "takes a lot of time, typically years."  "If you're going to be testing this in otherwise healthy people who are very, very unlikely to die from this infection," he continues, "you better make sure it's safe. So you want those regulations in place.... The point being: We're not very good at assessing risk." Trump is pushing to have a vaccine ready by the end of this year. Offit and others argue two years is more realistic, and the global analytics firm Clarivate estimated that a vaccine "will require at least five years... to complete the development process through full regulatory approval." The good news is that the firm predicts that Moderna's mRNA vaccine has a 5% probability of success. The bad news is that the government and federal health agencies will very likely ram the first promising vaccine through the regulatory channels without having been properly evaluated for its efficacy and safety. Without serious critical thought, the demand for a vaccine now outweighs the risks. And there is the potential for many risks that remain completely unknown, which is the same for any vaccine. Trump said it will be available "in a fairly quick manner."  In an interview with philosophy professor Nicholas Evans at the University of Massachusetts, he raised concerns over the lack of proper animal model vaccine trials before administering it to humans. Unfortunately there are no US laws that require animal trials. Consequently the pharmaceutical companies are taking advantage of this derelict oversight in their race to be the first to get a vaccine approved and distributed. Evans also worries about "the shredding of regulations and regulatory norms as part of their [the federal health agencies] response to this outbreak and this is a very dangerous proposition." Rarely do politicians, and increasingly more and more scientists, make efforts to learn the lessons history offers.  Past efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine have failed and the adverse effects observed in these efforts are clear indicators for why fast-tracking a CoV-19 vaccine would be frightfully irresponsible. But now this is all being ignored within the Trump White House, the CDC, and across most of the medical establishment, particularly the private vaccine makers. In addition, the media continues to fuel our vaccine mania, priming the public to willingly surrender their bodies to the syringe under a pretext of being protected from future CoV outbreaks. Perhaps the most disturbing problem our national public health faces is the failure of our leading health agencies -- the CDC, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and the World Health Organization -- to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence that no vaccine developed during the past half century is truly safe and effective for all.  Are there any scientific gold standard studies -- double blind, controlled trials using an actual inert placebo -- conducted for any vaccine currently on the market?  No? Have meticulous independent studies been performed to compare the quality of health between vaccinated and non-vaccinated participants?  Unfortunately there aren't any, and the CDC was forced to acknowledge this during a Congressional subcommittee hearing on autism. All of the media's vaccine propaganda is stacked with pro-industry scientists who have something to gain. They are always presented as the experts. On the other hand, independent scientists, as well as board certified physicians and pediatricians, who question the official vaccine dogma, are attacked by federal officials and the mainstream media as alarmists, anti-vaxxers and even threats to society if they speak out.  Several years ago the World Health Organization listed vaccine opponents among the 10 leading threats to global health. But no one considers that the many millions of people who either themselves or their children received a vaccine and experienced serious adverse effects were at one time pro-vaccination. It was for that very reason they submitted themselves to be vaccinated in the first place.  Now with the dramatic rise in vaccine injuries and deaths as more shots are added to the nation's vaccination schedule, we still await Congressional hearings at the federal and state levels that invite independent scientists, toxicologists and immunologists to explain the actual peer-review literature that would have us conclude there is no such thing as either a safe vaccine or vaccine that creates neutralizing antibodies for any given person. In other words, every vaccine may or not be effective and there is no proof they protect everyone.   There is also the utterly absurd notion that whenever someone receives a vaccine and does not come down with the disease, 100 percent of the credit is given to the vaccine's efficacy. And where are the real advocates who are speaking on behalf of the victims from vaccine injuries?  Certainly not the pharmaceutical industry that profits immensely without any liability for damages. Nor are advocates to be found in federal and state health agencies, in most of the medical community nor across the spectrum of the media. Rather, those who refuse to take unsafe vaccines are blamed for spreading fear, uncertainty, conspiracies and even infectious disease. But now those who have been injured or their loved ones are speaking out in greater unison. This is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for those who have profited for years from their pain. 

Guest: Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine and a Professor at the Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Host: Narayan Lakshman, Associate Editor, The Hindu Body text: As the world continues to grapple with the debilitating human toll and economic consequences of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, experts such as Dr. Peter Hotez, Dean for the National School of Tropical Medicine and a Professor at the Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular Virology and Microbiology, at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston , have been at the forefront of both research and treatment of the infection. Dr. Hotez's perspective is also valuable for his multi-decade involvement in treating neglected tropical diseases, including in India, where he has worked extensively on better understanding the spread of and treatment options for elephantiasis, hookworm, leishmaniasis, and dengue. Dr. Hotez is well-positioned to give us a deep insight into the current state of play with the battle against the coronavirus and what hope there is for the future.

Our special edition of Houston Matters weekdays at 3 p.m. addresses your questions and concerns about coronavirus as a public service to our listeners. In this edition, host Ernie Manouse talks with Baylor College of Medicine’s Dr. Hana El Sahly about remdesivir, in light of today’s FDA emergency-use authorization of the drug to treat severe COVID-19 patients.  Dr. El Sahly is: Associate Professor of Molecular Virology & Microbiology and Medicine Principal Investigator for the Vaccine... Read More

We hope you're saying safe, practicing good social distancing and hopefully not hoarding all the toilet paper! This week, we've got another Coronavirus-related WHAT THE IF for some self isolation edutainment: What The IF… We could go inside a VIRUS?! GABY PANICCIA, a graduate student in Molecular Virology at the world famous Rockefeller University, uses her imagination to shrink us all down to nanometer scale and she takes us on a FANTASIC VOYAGE! We swim into cells to see how a coronavirus works, up front and all too personal! How big are those spikes really? So put on your innerspace suits, and get ready for a ride of a lifetime! --- Special thanks to Kyle Crichton, Howard Zheng and Illia Zheng for their help with the show. --- Like the show? Share your love for the IF by dropping a review on Apple Podcasts! itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1250517051?mt=2&ls=1 Have you subscribed? Grab one (always free!) at pod.link/1250517051 and never miss an episode! Keep On IFFin', Philip & Matt, WhatTheIF.com

Justice & Drew are joined by Dr. Mark Schleiss, a University of Minnesota Professor and Investigator at the Institute for Molecular Virology to discuss the coronavirus. Later, Jesse Kelly weighs in, too.

Dr. Mark Schleiss, a University of Minnesota Professor and Investigator at the Institute for Molecular Virology, answers Justice & Drew's questions about the COVID-19 outbreak.

The novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV or COVID-19, is rooted in Wuhan, China but has since arrived in the United States, stoking fears of a global pandemic. In this CAPcast interview, Dr. Michael Mina, Associate Medical Director of Clinical Microbiology and Molecular Virology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Department of Pathology in Boston, discusses the current outlook of the virus and what pathologists need to know about their role in diagnosis and treating patients suspected to have contracted this virus. For updated information on the coronavirus or COVID-19, please visit CAP.org (https://www.cap.org/) or CDC.gov (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html).

Over the last 10 years, people have been looking for HIV’s hiding place. Mainly what they did was they tried to find the virus in a certain organ and in a certain cell, and quantify that. But, as the virus evolves before you start the antiretroviral therapy, the organs in the body are infected with a slightly different virus, so a new approach had to be looked at, in order to find the viral reservoir.In this episode, Professor Vandekerckhove shares his laboratory’s latest discovery – the location of the viral reservoir – and breaks it down for us to understand the impact this has on finding a cure for HIV and ending the epidemic.Prof. Dr. Linos Vandekerckhove is the principal investigator at the HIV Cure Research Center in Ghent, Belgium, which he founded in 2009. He graduated from the Medical School KULeuven in 1998 and obtained his Ph. D. in 2006 from the Rega Institute, also in Leuven. In 2001 he worked for a year at the Pretoria Academic Hospital in South Africa, in the service of Internal Medicine.In 2009 he started his own laboratory and a year later he spent 5 months in San Francisco to familiarize himself with research on a cure. He combined his infectious disease specialist education program with a Ph. D in Professor Debyser’s laboratory for Molecular Virology. With this combination, he bridges the gap between Clinical Infectious Disease at the AIDS clinic and basic Molecular Virology research.In 2010 he worked as an invited researcher at the Gladstone Institute in Eric Verdin and Warner lab. Since then, he has been working as an assistant professor in Internal Medicine at the University of Ghent, Belgium. Today, his laboratory is a team leader for HIV reservoir research.Listen to Episode 12 of Positively Alive, to learn about the latest discovery in this field - the location of the viral reservoir of the HIV virus – and what that means for people living with HIV.Questions I ask:Could you please elaborate a little bit on why the HIV Cure Research Center was established, and what exactly do you do at the research center? (03:59)How easy is it to find patients for your studies? (08:30)How do you manage the risk that is involved with doing those research programs? (09:17)You have also mentioned that if someone is on treatment and suddenly stops that treatment, the virus will have a rebound that is faster than compared to before. At what exact rate does it rebound, and does it also mean that the virus has become stronger? (13:51)How hopeful are you, really, that we are close to a cure for HIV? (18:52)What are the specific needs of the HIV Cure and Research Center? (21:26)What would you say to young researchers who start a career in this specific area? (25:30)In this episode you will learn:The importance of international collaboration in actually finding a solution to the epidemic. (06:20)Where the HIV viral reservoir is located inside the body. (10:23)The impact on the HIV positive individuals that this new discovery has, in terms of medication and costs. (17:10)The significance of U=U within the context of the HIV Cure and Research Center studies. (22:59)Linos’s message for people living with HIV today. (26:42)Positively Alive Resources:WebsitePositively Alive Youtube ChannelInstagramFacebook GroupFacebook PageTwitterDonate See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ariberto FASSATI, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Virology, UCL Division of Infection and Immunity, The Rayne Building London, UK speaks on "tRNA retrograde transport in response to oxidative stress". This movie has been recorded at ICGEB Trieste.

The idea that gut health is central to our total health goes back thousands of years, but it's been largely absent from modern medicine and science until very recently. In my practice as a medical doctor and herbalist, I see the gut as the epicenter of health. It's often one of the first areas of the body that I work on for helping my patients with many, many different types of conditions. What we know about the health of the newborn and the newborn's microbiome for example, how childhood and lifelong health can be altered by cesarean section or introduction of antibiotics to the mom in labor or at the time of the c-section, is eye-opening and just a tip of the iceberg on why the microbiome is something we should all know how to support and protect. Today I want to introduce you to one of the world's leading microbiome experts, Dr. Joseph Petrosino. Dr Petrosino is a Professor and Interim Chairman of the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine where he's also the Director of the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research. You can find the show notes at avivaromm.com/107

"The Most Important Thing is To Have Passion" - Dr. J. Roberto Trujillo, M.D Hi, Ditch Digger CEO listeners. We did something a little different with Dr. Roberto's episode. This guy is so amazing and has so much to talk about. We had to create two parts. It was great timing for us to create two parts because something has happened in the last week that I'm super excited about. Dr. Roberto has scheduled my son Nik and I to go to his research center in Bangalore, India to be treated. Nik for cerebral palsy and me for epilepsy. We will be going for 28 days of treatment. Both of our cases are on the mild side of the spectrum. We know we have challenges to overcome and there's no proven cure for either of our diseases. We will also be going to get a chance to understand the technology and the protocol in case my wife Cheryl needs to go to Dr. Roberto's clinic for treatment of her brain cancer and other presumed incurable disease. So strap on your seat belts as we enjoy one of the leading minds in the world of medicine today, Dr. Roberto Trujillo, with his slogan to cure the incurable. Enjoy! Dr. J. Roberto Trujillo, M.D., Sc.D. is the Chairman and CEO of TruCytonics Institute & NeuroCytonix, Inc., at the Montgomery Biotechnology campus of Johns Hopkins University. His current focus is on translation research of neural tissue engineering (quantum magnetic resonance) for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and Parkinson’s disease. He is a member of the medical advisory board at Fisher Wallace Laboratories, LLC. As a pioneer in the field of neurovirology at Harvard, Dr. Trujillo founded the Pan-American Society of NeuroVirology in 2000. He is the co-inventor of CERCA, a U.S. patented photodynamic therapeutic medical device for the prevention of cervical cancer. Dr. Trujillo is a leader of medical sciences of the Americas, and he has received numerous awards, professional titles, and honorary doctor degrees. Following an internship in medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, he completed a two-year clinical neurological and neurosurgical fellowship at Texas Medical Center. After receiving a training award from NIH, Dr. Trujillo obtained his Doctor of Science degree in Neurosciences and Molecular Virology at Harvard University. 01:30- Brain dogma: "I never gave up because I wanted to serve people" 08:30- Dreaming big gets us to the moon 10:38- Success with NeuroCytonix and looking forward 14:48- Where this progress will go in the next 5-10 years 17:00- $280 Billion spent on this research and why it costs so much 20:27- The beauty of being an American 23:55- The source of Roberto's focus 25:52- Back pain cure takes time 29:10- How Roberto's technology helps a patient with epilepsy 34:50- AMAZING brain cancer trials and improvements without side effects 38:55- FDA approval status 40:06- The exact process of Roberto's technology 45:05- About Roberto's family 50:30- Doctors need to learn business Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO: Visit DDCEO on iTunes Visit our Website Like DDCEO on Facebook Follow DDCEO on Twitter Follow DDCEO on Instagram

"The Most Important Thing is To Have Passion" - Dr. J. Roberto Trujillo, M.D Dr. J. Roberto Trujillo, M.D., Sc.D. is the Chairman and CEO of TruCytonics Institute & NeuroCytonix, Inc., at the Montgomery Biotechnology campus of Johns Hopkins University. His current focus is on translation research of neural tissue engineering (quantum magnetic resonance) for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and Parkinson’s disease. He is a member of the medical advisory board at Fisher Wallace Laboratories, LLC. As a pioneer in the field of neurovirology at Harvard, Dr. Trujillo founded the Pan-American Society of NeuroVirology in 2000. He is the co-inventor of CERCA, a U.S. patented photodynamic therapeutic medical device for the prevention of cervical cancer. Dr. Trujillo is a leader of medical sciences of the Americas, and he has received numerous awards, professional titles, and honorary doctor degrees. Following an internship in medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, he completed a two-year clinical neurological and neurosurgical fellowship at Texas Medical Center. After receiving a training award from NIH, Dr. Trujillo obtained his Doctor of Science degree in Neurosciences and Molecular Virology at Harvard University. 02:24- Story of how Gary and Dr. Roberto Trujillo met 05:30- Roberto's story and upbringing 11:25- Started rotation at age 18 12:00- Difference between US and Mexican medical school 16:54- Challenges are opportunities to grow 19:50- Passion is to study the brain 23:25- AIDS virus causes so much damage to the brain 23:55- Becoming the first molecular neuro-virologist at Harvard 25:52- The importance of passion 28:30- 3 keys to success 29:52- Advantages in America 32:50- If you have an idea you can pursue it, unreal medicine 37:35- All about the NeuroCytonix company 39:40- What clinics look like in America vs India 42:25- Turning brain dogma upside down Tune in for part 2 next week! Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO: Visit DDCEO on iTunes Visit our Website Like DDCEO on Facebook Follow DDCEO on Twitter Follow DDCEO on Instagram

The disease detectives investigate the persistent fear that another pandemic virus will emerge again to threaten humanity, in the way that the Spanish Flu did 100 years ago. Presented by Mark Honigsbaum @honigsbaum and Hannah Mawdsley @HannahMawdsley With: Dr. Jeffery K. Taubenberger, Chief, Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section, Deputy Chief, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA. www.irp.nih.gov/pi/jeffery-taubenberger   Ron Fouchier, Professor in Molecular Virology, Viroscience department, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. https://www.erasmusmc.nl/viroscience/research/fields-expertise/molecular-virology/ Dr. Eileen Choffnes, former Director of the National Academy of Medicine's Forum on Microbial Threats, USA. Michael Osterholm, Regent Professor and Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota. www.cidrap.umn.edu The series is produced by Melissa FitzGerald @Melissafitzg Cover art by Patrick Blower. www.blowercartoons.com ‘Going Viral’ is supported by Wellcome. www.wellcome.ac.uk / @wellcometrust Follow us on Twitter: @GoingViral_pod    

The disease detectives investigate the persistent fear that another pandemic virus will emerge again to threaten humanity, in the way that the Spanish Flu did 100 years ago. Presented by Mark Honigsbaum @honigsbaum and Hannah Mawdsley @HannahMawdsley With: Dr. Jeffery K. Taubenberger, Chief, Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section, Deputy Chief, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA. www.irp.nih.gov/pi/jeffery-taubenberger   Ron Fouchier, Professor in Molecular Virology, Viroscience department, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. https://www.erasmusmc.nl/viroscience/research/fields-expertise/molecular-virology/ Dr. Eileen Choffnes, former Director of the National Academy of Medicine's Forum on Microbial Threats, USA. Michael Osterholm, Regent Professor and Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota. www.cidrap.umn.edu The series is produced by Melissa FitzGerald @Melissafitzg Cover art by Patrick Blower. www.blowercartoons.com ‘Going Viral’ is supported by Wellcome. www.wellcome.ac.uk / @wellcometrust Follow us on Twitter: @GoingViral_pod    

The disease detectives investigate the persistent fear that another pandemic virus will emerge again to threaten humanity, in the way that the Spanish Flu did 100 years ago. Presented by Mark Honigsbaum @honigsbaum and Hannah Mawdsley @HannahMawdsley With: Dr. Jeffery K. Taubenberger, Chief, Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section, Deputy Chief, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA. www.irp.nih.gov/pi/jeffery-taubenberger   Ron Fouchier, Professor in Molecular Virology, Viroscience department, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands. https://www.erasmusmc.nl/viroscience/research/fields-expertise/molecular-virology/ Dr. Eileen Choffnes, former Director of the National Academy of Medicine's Forum on Microbial Threats, USA. Michael Osterholm, Regent Professor and Director, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota. www.cidrap.umn.edu The series is produced by Melissa FitzGerald @Melissafitzg Cover art by Patrick Blower. www.blowercartoons.com ‘Going Viral’ is supported by Wellcome. www.wellcome.ac.uk / @wellcometrust Follow us on Twitter: @GoingViral_pod    

In an ever more global world, pandemics are an increasing threat. Dr. Peter Hotez, President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine, will discuss Zika, the rise of vector borne diseases and the development of vaccines.

Across England, selected GP surgeries are trialling 7-day working, but there are reports that take-up has been so low in some areas, particularly on Sundays, that pilots have been abandoned. Dr Margaret McCartney and Dr Mark Porter investigate where the pressure for extended opening hours is coming from. Mark visits Herefordshire where Taurus Healthcare, a federation of local GPs, is running a late night/weekend service. Managing Director Graeme Cleland describes the high take-up of the service after an initial slow start, and says new patients have been treated, showing previously latent demand in the system. Mike Dando is a wheelchair user with spina bifida and diabetes, and before the pilot started a year ago, he would have to wait in all day for a district nurse to dress his ulcerated legs. Now he just makes an appointment at a time convenient for him. But at the end of this year the seed money provided by the Prime Minister's Challenge Fund runs out, so what will happen to the Herefordshire pilot? Chair of the local Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Andy Watts, says without extra funding, the pilot service is unlikely to continue and deputy chair of the BMA's GP Committee, Dr Richard Vautrey, calls for investment in current GP practices rather than expensive additional services. Doctors in the UK have been warned by public health officials to be on the lookout for people who become ill after travelling to South Korea. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has killed 27 people in the region and there are 174 confirmed cases of the disease. Nearly five hundred people have died worldwide after the virus first emerged three years ago, in Saudia Arabia. Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham, describes how coronaviruses like MERS (and SARS) jump to humans via an intermediary animal. In the case of MERS, that's via the Dromedary camel. Nitrous Oxide or laughing gas has a long history of recreational use but in recent years, there's been an exponential growth in use among teenagers and young people. Founder of the Psychedelic Society, Stephen Reid, describes the physical effects of laughing gas and tells Mark why he believes the gas shouldn't form part of the government's planned clampdown on legal highs. But Dr Paul Seddon, respiratory paediatrician from Queen Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton, warns that increased use could mean increased health problems, like the case of the teenager girl with a collapsed lung admitted to his hospital after inhaling the gas. Producer: Fiona Hill.

Guest Gary Wenk, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Molecular Virology at the Ohio State University, and author of Your Brain on Food: How Chemicals Control Your Thoughts and Feelings, will talk about coffee, chocolate, food addiction and moreYour Brain on Food

Ebola Outbreak As the World Health Organisation announces that the situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone is deteriorating, with widespread and persistent transmission of Ebola Virus Disease, the UK has introduced screening measures at Heathrow airport for passengers arriving from Ebola-affected countries. How has this particular outbreak become so widespread, and where did it start? Lucie Green discusses the source, spread and science of Ebola with Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham. Ada Lovelace Day Leading the charge in inspiring and celebrating women scientists, technologists and mathematicians is 19th century computer programmer Ada Lovelace. Daughter of poet Lord Byron, collaborator with inventor Charles Babbage, and accomplished mathematician herself, October 14th has been set aside for Ada Lovelace Day. Event founder Suw Charman-Anderson tells us more. Space Weather The Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre is designed to protect the UK from severe problems caused by space weather. It's been known since 1859 that weather in space can cause problems on Earth, but scientists say our growing dependence on technology puts us at greater risk. Our satellites, power grids and radio signals are all vulnerable to damage from extreme space weather events. Lucie Green heads down to the new space weather centre in Exeter, to see how they monitor the sun's activity, and how that translates into an extra-terrestrial forecast. Producers: Fiona Roberts & Marnie Chesterton Assistant Producer: Jen Whyntie.

Alessia Ruggieri, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GERMANY speaks on "Dynamic oscillation of translation and stress granule formation mark the cellular response to virus infection". This seminar has been recorded by ICGEB Trieste

Guest: Denis Guttridge, PhD, Associate Professor, Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Access an abstract of this month’s featured research articles: Improvement of cardiac contractile function by peptide-based inhibition of NF-κB in the utrophin/dystrophin-deficient murine model of muscular dystrophy. J Transl Med. 2011 May 17;9:68. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-9-68. Peptide-based inhibition of NF-κB rescues diaphragm muscle contractile dysfunction in a murine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Mol Med. 2011 May-Jun;17(5-6):508-15. doi: 10.2119/molmed.2010.00263.

Guest: Denis Guttridge, PhD, Associate Professor, Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University Access an abstract of this month’s featured research articles: Improvement of cardiac contractile function by peptide-based inhibition of NF-κB in the utrophin/dystrophin-deficient murine model of muscular dystrophy. J Transl Med. 2011 May 17;9:68. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-9-68. Peptide-based inhibition of NF-κB rescues diaphragm muscle contractile dysfunction in a murine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Mol Med. 2011 May-Jun;17(5-6):508-15. doi: 10.2119/molmed.2010.00263.

Volker Lohmann, Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, GERMANY. This seminar has been recorded by ICGEB Trieste

  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 ebolavirus in Philippine swine Historical perspective on H1N1 virus Salk's 1947 article on flu vaccine failure Persistent legacy of 1918 H1N1 virus Tamiflu resistant H1N1 virus (AP article) Tamiflu in Japanese river waters H1N1 infection of ferrets (article one and two) Pneumonia and respiratory failure from S-OIV in Mexico DNA-based equine WNV vaccine (thanks Peter!) Fundamentals of Molecular Virology by Nicholas Acheson Weekly Science Picks Alan Coming to Life by Christiane Nusslein-VolhardDick Monsters Inside Me from Discovery ChannelVincent Microbeworld

Vincent, DIck, and Alan chat about reconstruction of a bat SARS-like coronavirus, herpesviruses that are killing elephants in zoos, and a plan to eradicate AIDS in ten years. Links for this episode: The Virology Network at socialmedian.com. The bat SARS-like coronavirus: scientific article in PNAS, and the Wired Science article. NY Times Editorial on eradicating AIDS. Herpesviruses killing elephants. Science podcast pick of the week: Futures in Biotech. Science book of the week: Principles of Molecular Virology, by AJ Cann.