Aidan Burn, Tufts University Remnants of ancient viral pandemics in the form of viral DNA sequences embedded in our genomes are still active in healthy people, according to new research my colleagues and I recently published. HERVs, or human endogenous retroviruses, make up around 8% of the human genome, leftRead More →
Satdarshan (Paul) Singh Monga, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences The liver is known for its ability to regenerate. It can completely regrow itself even after two-thirds of its mass has been surgically removed. But damage from medications, alcohol abuse or obesity can eventually cause the liver to fail. Currently, theRead More →
Connor Bamford, Queen’s University Belfast Right now, there’s just one virus on everyone’s minds: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But humanity is plagued by many respiratory viruses, such as influenza A (IAV) and respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), which cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Most of theseRead More →
Charlotte Thålin, Karolinska Institutet Israel was way ahead of the rest of the world when it came to COVID vaccination, so it’s not surprising that data from this corner of the Mediterranean causes a lot of excitement – it’s a glimpse into the future. Indeed, this happened recently when researchersRead More →
Luke O’Neill, Trinity College Dublin The World Health Organization (WHO) has added another coronavirus variant to its list to monitor. It’s called the mu variant and has been designated a variant of interest (VOI). What this means is that mu has genetic differences to the other known variants and isRead More →
Trevor Kilpatrick, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health US actress Selma Blair announced on the weekend she has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. “I have probably had this incurable disease for 15 years at least,” she wrote. “And I am relieved to at least know.” Multiple sclerosis is anRead More →
Adam Taylor, Lancaster University As humans, we may feel rather lucky about our evolutionary lot. We live longer than many other animals, and lifespans continue to increase thanks to better diets, advances in medicine and improved public health. But our quest to beat ageing and the diseases that come withRead More →
Vincent Ho, Western Sydney University A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species. Three main classes of parasites can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Protozoa and helminths largely affect the gut, while ectoparasites include lice and mites that can attachRead More →
Veenu Manoharan, Cardiff Metropolitan University Most vaccines have side-effects and COVID vaccines are no different. The public are being reassured that if they experience a sore arm where the needle went in, or tiredness, a headache, fever or nausea, these are merely signs that the immune system is working asRead More →
William Petri, University of Virginia Maybe you’ve postponed your second COVID-19 vaccine appointment, whether because of scheduling hassles or general reluctance. But how safe are you after just a single dose? As an immunologist, I hear this question frequently – and the answer has changed as new genetic strains ofRead More →
