by Patrick Jackson, The Conversation Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Even with three highly effective vaccines available in abundance throughout the country, the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause a large number of new infections, particularly in states where vaccination rates remain low. What’s more, as schools and businesses reopen and the holiday season approaches, another rise in infections may...
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH (TUM) To date, there are no effective antidotes against most virus infections. An interdisciplinary research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested...
Serological tests, also known as “antibody tests,” are one of the foundations of clinical medicine, with a particularly important role in infectious disease. They can detect active infections, but can also identify past exposures to infectious agents. These are both important pieces of information that can guide clinical care, and help explain why some people...
by University of Montreal A colorized scanning electron micrograph of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. When a person is infected by SARS-CoV-2, the number of antibodies able to neutralize the virus rapidly increases. Once the person recovers, their level decreases. In a study last month, researchers led by Université de Montréal professor Andrés Finzi, holder of a Canada Research Chair in Retroviral...
HIROSHIMA UNIVERSITY IMAGE: HIROSHIMA UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT USING ULTRAVIOLET C LIGHT WITH A 222 NM WAVELENGTH, WHICH DOESN’T HARM LIVING CELLS IN THE HUMAN EYE AND SKIN, EFFECTIVELY KILLS THE SARS-COV-2. CREDIT: HIROSHIMA UNIVERSITY A study conducted by Hiroshima University researchers found that using Ultraviolet C light with a wavelength of 222 nanometers which...
by Frederike Buhse, Kiel University The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the coronavirus disease COVID-19, can penetrate many different body cells. This has been shown in multiple research papers published in recent weeks. Thus, not only can the function of the respiratory tract and the lungs be severely disrupted, but also numerous other organs. The SARS-CoV-2...
by Liz Ahlberg Touchstone, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois researchers developed a microfluidic cartridge for a 30-minute COVID-19 test. The cartridges are 3D-printed and could be manufactured quickly. Credit: Bill King, University of Illinois As COVID-19 continues to spread, bottlenecks in supplies and laboratory personnel have led to long waiting times for results in...
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PATHOLOGY, MEMBER OF THE PITTSBURGH LIVER RESEARCH CENTER AND THE MCGOWAN INSTITUTE FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE view more CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH, Sept. 3, 2020 – Gene therapy generally relies on viruses, such as adeno-associated virus (AAV), to deliver genes into a cell. In the case of CRISPR-based gene therapies, molecular scissors...
Researchers from Connecticut-based Yale University has created a new way to determine if a person has acquired SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19. It turns out, a person’s saliva contains parts of the virus strands. Due to this conclusion, the university created its very own saliva-based COVID-19 test, and it is now approved by the United States Food...
A new leading US-based COVID-19 vaccine is set to begin its 2nd phase of testing in South Africa. The NVX‑CoV2373, made by Novavax biotechnology company, has seen improving the immune system and stimulating antibodies inside the patient. One of the major benefactors of the drug is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Here’s what it...
