Vaccine against RSV could be in sight, researchers say
A vaccine for the common and sometimes deadly RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) has been elusive, but scientists say a new discovery puts them much closer to success.
Read moreViruses
Rare view into the formation of viruses
For the first time, researchers have captured images of the formation of individual viruses, offering a real-time view into the kinetics of viral assembly. The research provides new insights into how to fight viruses and engineer self-assembling particles.
Read moreHow the influenza virus achieves efficient viral RNA replication
Researchers offer new insights on how subunits of the influenza virus polymerase co-evolve to ensure efficient viral RNA replication.
Read moreMost kidney transplants between people with HIV have long-term success
People living with HIV who received kidney transplants from deceased donors with HIV had high rates of overall survival and kidney graft survival after five years, according to an observational study. The investigators followed 51 study participants with HIV who received kidney transplants from deceased donors with HIV in South Africa.
Read moreHow AIDS pathogens multiply in the body
Scientists have now succeeded in using high-resolution imaging to make visible to the millisecond how the HI virus spreads between living cells and which molecules it requires for this purpose. The researchers provide direct proof for the first time that the AIDS pathogen creates a certain lipid environment for replication.
Read morePotent antibody curbs Nipah and Hendra virus attack
A monoclonal antibody has been shown to impede the fusion machinery henipaviruses use to merge with the membrane of cells they are attempting to breach. The antibody halts the attack by blocking membrane fusion and the injection of the viral genome into the host cell. Researchers hope this discovery will pave the way toward preventing or treating Nipah or Hendra virus infections, which now have no vaccines or therapies for people. The main carriers are large bats called flying foxes.
Read moreResearchers advance search for safer, easier way to deliver vision-saving gene therapy
In experiments with rats, pigs and monkeys, researchers have developed a way to deliver sight-saving gene therapy to the retina. If proved safe and effective in humans, the technique could provide a new, more permanent therapeutic option for patients with common diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and it could potentially replace defective genes in patients with inherited retinal disease.
Read morePowerful new synthetic vaccines to combat epidemics
A new type of vaccine that can be stored at warmer temperatures, removing the need for refrigeration, has been developed for mosquito-borne virus Chikungunya in a major advance in vaccine technology. The findings reveal exceptionally promising results for the Chikungunya vaccine candidate, which has been engineered using a synthetic protein scaffold that could revolutionise the way vaccines are designed, produced and stored.
Read moreWhy viruses like Herpes and Zika will need to be reclassified: Biotech impact
New findings reveal many different structural models for viruses, which can eventually lead to developing more targeted antiviral vaccines, by improving our understanding of how viruses form, evolve and infect their hosts.
Read moreA protein essential for chikungunya virus replication identified
Chikungunya is an infectious disease caused by a mosquito-borne virus transmitted to humans. It is characterized by high fever and intense joint and muscle pain that can last for several months. The mechanisms of infection of human cells with the virus remain very poorly understood. Researchers have now identified a protein that is crucial in order for the virus to replicate within its target cells. This research opens up therapeutic avenues in the fight against chikungunya.
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