Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Very high rates of asymptomatic infection with Omicron compared to prior SARS-CoV-2 variants

The advent of the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) variant, detected initially in Botswana and South Africa and now found in over 135 countries as of January 3, 2022, has sparked fears of a new global wave of infections and hospitalizations

3 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 differs from other betacoronaviruses in a key IRE1α/XBP1 pathway

SARS-CoV-2 differs from other viruses in the beta coronavirus family in the activation of a key pathway associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress.

3 Jan 2022

The impact of natural selection on sequence diversity in SARS-CoV-2

Recent genomic analysis demonstrates that the SARS-CoV-2 genome is under two distinct selective forces.

3 Jan 2022

CDC report shows COVID vaccines safe for children, serious side effects rare

Researchers determine the characteristics and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in children and adolescents 18 years or younger.

3 Jan 2022

Omicron spike-specific binding antibodies attenuate disease, despite increasing transmission

Researchers investigate the capacity of vaccine-induced antibodies to generate Fc-effector activity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

3 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant highly resistant to vaccine-elicited and therapeutic antibodies

Researchers analyzed convalescent sera and sera from immunized individuals to demonstrate the evasion of antibodies by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

3 Jan 2022

COVID-19 tests with the new assay may be just as reliable as laboratory-based molecular tests

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have designed a high-quality assay that can be used in at-home tests for rapid COVID-19 screening.

3 Jan 2022

Humanized antibody shows strong neutralization ability against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Researchers combine SARS-CoV-2 spike vaccination with single-cell B-cell receptor sequencing technology to discover neutralizing antibody candidates.

3 Jan 2022

Minimal nAb titers against Omicron in the elderly after 3rd dose

Researchers measured titers of cross-protective neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 after they had received a third booster dose.

3 Jan 2022

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron study on hamsters, shows virus results in a less severe disease

Researchers investigate the ability of immunity acquired from SARS-CoV-2 wild-type infection to protect against the Omicron variant in Syrian hamster models.

3 Jan 2022

NAbs activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron, in an elderly vaccinated cohort

Researchers investigate the neutralizing antibody activity against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 in fully immunized elderly individuals.

3 Jan 2022

Echinacea, a potent antiviral against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers present available evidence on the activity of Echinacea purpure against coronavirus infections.

3 Jan 2022

Secondary schools requested to provide on-site Covid-19 test for pupils on return to school

All secondary schools have been asked to provide one on-site test for pupils ahead of their return to the classroom this term to help reduce the transmission of Covid-19.

2 Jan 2022

Around 132 million COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the UK in 2021

Around 132 million COVID-19 vaccinations were administered across all four nations of the UK in 2021, as part of the largest vaccination programme in British history.

2 Jan 2022

Impact of a pan-sarbecovirus dendritic-cell targeting vaccine on SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new study used in silico approaches for designing a next-generation CD40-targeting vaccine, CD40.

31 Dec 2021

Vaccine-induced T-cells vs. Omicron well preserved compared with all variants

A team of international scientists has recently revealed that T cell responses induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are able to cross-recognize different variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

30 Dec 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in pregnancy and fetal development

A review conducted by a team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the University of Colorado, and Active Motif, Incorporated compiles information on SARS-CoV-2 virology, in utero transmission from infected pregnant mothers to fetuses, new findings on possible methods of SARS-CoV-2 cellular trafficking through exosomes, and the transcriptomic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, in order to inform future studies aimed at a better understanding of COVID-19 and the development of therapeutic solutions against SARS-CoV-2.

30 Dec 2021

The use of monoclonal antibodies against infectious pathogens

Joshua Tan of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health wrote a review article in the journal DNA and Cell Biology about the role of monoclonal antibodies and briefly described a study on bispecific antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2.

30 Dec 2021

Antibody neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant via BNT162b2 vaccine booster dose

New study findings highlight the need for a rapid booster vaccine campaign to prevent COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant since the neutralization of Omicron by the two-dose BNT162b2 vaccine is not effective in controlling the spread of the infection.

30 Dec 2021

Clinical-grade soluble human ACE2 shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

New study findings show that the clinical-grade soluble ACE2 effectively inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which proves the principle of an effective therapeutic approach against Omicron-driven COVID-19 infections.

30 Dec 2021

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Very high rates of asymptomatic infection with Omicron compared to prior SARS-CoV-2 variants

SARS-CoV-2 differs from other betacoronaviruses in a key IRE1α/XBP1 pathway

The impact of natural selection on sequence diversity in SARS-CoV-2

CDC report shows COVID vaccines safe for children, serious side effects rare

Omicron spike-specific binding antibodies attenuate disease, despite increasing transmission

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant highly resistant to vaccine-elicited and therapeutic antibodies

COVID-19 tests with the new assay may be just as reliable as laboratory-based molecular tests

Humanized antibody shows strong neutralization ability against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant

Minimal nAb titers against Omicron in the elderly after 3rd dose

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron study on hamsters, shows virus results in a less severe disease

NAbs activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron, in an elderly vaccinated cohort

Echinacea, a potent antiviral against SARS-CoV-2

Secondary schools requested to provide on-site Covid-19 test for pupils on return to school

Around 132 million COVID-19 vaccinations administered in the UK in 2021

Impact of a pan-sarbecovirus dendritic-cell targeting vaccine on SARS-CoV-2 variants

Vaccine-induced T-cells vs. Omicron well preserved compared with all variants

SARS-CoV-2 infection and immunity in pregnancy and fetal development

The use of monoclonal antibodies against infectious pathogens

Antibody neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant via BNT162b2 vaccine booster dose

Clinical-grade soluble human ACE2 shown to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

Virus News and Research

Latest Virus News and Research

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

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