Virus News and Research

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A virus is a microscopic infectious agent that can reproduce only inside a host cell. Viruses infect all types of organisms: from animals and plants, to bacteria and archaea. Since the initial discovery of tobacco mosaic virus by Martinus Beijerinck in 1898, more than 5,000 types of virus have been described in detail, although most types of virus remain undiscovered. Viruses are ubiquitous, as they are found in almost every ecosystem on Earth, and are the most abundant type of biological entity on the planet. The study of viruses is known as virology, and is a branch of microbiology.

Engineered Base Editor Corrects ACTA2 Mutation in Rare Childhood Disease

Multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome (MSMDS) is a rare condition associated with stroke, aortic dissection (tearing) and death in childhood.

13 Sep 2025

New Research Highlights a More Efficient CAR T Treatment

This review article focuses on the transformative potential of in vivo CAR T cell treatment in overcoming the constraints of standard CAR T cell production.

8 Sep 2025

Scientists Identify Human Proteins Essential for SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Replication

Despite vaccines and treatments, SARS-CoV-2-the virus that causes COVID-19-continues to pose a global health threat, driven by new variants and its ability to hijack human cells in ways that still aren't fully understood.

5 Sep 2025

Microbial Signatures Help Distinguish Colorectal Tumors from Other Cancers

Colorectal cancer is unique in having its own microbial 'fingerprint' – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

4 Sep 2025

Belgian Scientists Reveal How Dendritic Cells Respond to Lipid Nanoparticles

Belgian scientists have uncovered new details about how the immune system responds to vaccines. Dendritic cells, which are key immune messengers that help kick-start the body's defenses, show specific responses to lipid nanoparticles.

27 Aug 2025

H5N1 Evolution Points to Higher Risk of Human Transmission

In recent years, there has been growing concern over the H5N1 influenza virus. It was first identified in birds three decades ago and has now gradually found its way to humans.

13 Aug 2025

Mapping T Cell Targets to Fight Coronaviruses and Beyond

Most vaccines are designed to provide immunity against just one pathogen. Vaccines for chicken pox (caused by varicella-zoster virus) were only developed to fight that one disease, for example.

8 Aug 2025

Small Viral Protein ORF3a Reveals Big Role in SARS-CoV-2 Infectivity

In a recent study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Chicago discovered that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) uses a small but powerful protein, ORF3a, to assemble the infectious particles, making it more efficient at spreading the disease.

29 Jul 2025

AgriLife Research Scientist Helps Crack Genome of a Soft Tick

Scientists at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Baylor College of Medicine have sequenced the genome of the disease-spreading soft tick.

23 Jul 2025

Gene Editing Reverses Symptoms of Rare Brain Disorder in Mice

Scientists have corrected gene mutations in mice causing an ultra-rare disease by editing DNA directly in the brain with a single injection, a feat with profound implications for patients with neurological diseases.

22 Jul 2025

mRNA Vaccine Supercharges Immunotherapy Against Cancer

An experimental mRNA vaccine improved the tumor-fighting benefits of immunotherapy in a mouse model study, bringing researchers one step closer to their aim of generating a universal vaccination to “wake up” the immune system against cancer.

21 Jul 2025

UAB Identifies Six Novel Subsets, Reshaping Immune Knowledge

The study highlights T-bet's importance in memory B cells, essential for rapid antibody production and sustained immune defense against influenza.

14 Jul 2025

New Microchip Maps Antibody Responses Using Just a Drop of Blood

A new microchip invented by Scripps Research scientists can reveal how a person's antibodies interact with viruses-using just a drop of blood.

14 Jul 2025

LINE1 Retrotransposon Found to Exploit Dormant Protein in Human Cells

An international research team led by Freiburg biologists Dr. Wenjing Qi and Prof. Ralf Baumeister has discovered how the LINE1 retrotransposon exploits a cell protein to become active itself, as occurs in tumors.

14 Jul 2025

Obesity-Related Cognitive Deficits Improved Through Astrocyte Modulation

Fatty diets and obesity affect the structure and function of astrocytes, the star-shaped brain cells located in the striatum, a brain region involved in the perception of pleasure generated by food consumption.

8 Jul 2025

Mediterranean Bacteria Offer New Weapon Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Mosquito-borne diseases kill more than 700,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization, and the mosquitos that spread the disease are difficult to control.

8 Jul 2025

Flavoproteins Become Built-in Sensors for Studying Cellular Processes

Cornell researchers have found a new and potentially more accurate way to see what proteins are doing inside living cells - using the cells' own components as built-in sensors.

3 Jul 2025

Genetic Ancestry Tied to Immune Response in Dengue Infection

For the first time, the extreme variability in dengue fever has been linked to a biological mechanism, potentially opening doors to new treatments and vaccines for the most common mosquito-borne disease worldwide.

1 Jul 2025

Fungal Spores in the Air May Predict Flu and COVID-19 Surges

Monitoring fungal spores in the outdoor air can predict surges in flu and COVID-19 infections, especially during the fall, according to a new study.

23 Jun 2025

New Technique Enhances Three Dimensional Immunolabeling in Thick Tissues

Three dimensional immunohistochemistry (3D-IHC) has transformed our ability to visualize the spatial arrangement of cells and molecules in intact tissues.

20 Jun 2025