Viruses are distinct biological entities with the following properties: 1. A virus is an infectious, obligate intracellular parasite. 2. The genetic material of a virus is either DNA or RNA. 3. The genetic material of a virus enters a host cell and directs the production of the building blocks of new virus particles (called virions). …
In October 2003, the Vatican published a paper claiming that the HIV virus can pass through latex condoms and cause infection. I have not seen the original paper, but have read about some of its points in various online newsreports, such as this one from BBC News World Edition. In this report, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez …
Our latest paper has just been published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. The title of the paper is “Poliovirus tropism and attenuation are determined after internal ribosome entry”. This is the work of a Ph.D. student in my laboratory, Steven Kauder. If you would like a nice summary of this work, there is an …
Scientists who conduct research on viruses depend heavily on outside sources of funding to staff and supply their laboratories. One of the major sources of funding for independent research is the National Institutes of Health. Funds for research are allocated through a grant mechanism in which investigators submit detailed proposals for the work they wish …
Let’s first define life. According to the online Merriam-Webster Dictionary, life is “an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.” Viruses are not living things. Viruses are complicated assemblies of molecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, but on their own they can do nothing until they enter …
