by Gertrud U. Rey It is cold outside. My throat is scratchy, I can’t stop sneezing, and I have a runny nose. These are the typical symptoms of a human rhinovirus (HRV) infection, better known as the common cold. The average adult suffers from two to four colds a year, while the average child can …
by Gertrud U. Rey Australian koalas are currently being invaded by koala retrovirus A (KoRV-A), a virus that causes an AIDS-like immunodeficiency and makes infected koalas more susceptible to cancers and opportunistic infections such as chlamydia.
by Gertrud U. Rey If you live in the Northern hemisphere, it is that time of the year again. The perfect time to get your annual flu shot.
by Gertrud U. Rey Type 1 diabetes is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that is characterized by the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. The loss of these cells leads to decreased insulin production (hypoinsulinemia) and increased levels of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia). While it is still unclear what exactly causes the loss …
by Gertrud U. Rey Some viruses have a lipid envelope surrounding their protein capsid, which they get from the host cell membrane during the budding process. The envelope acts as an anchor for viral glycoproteins, which facilitate entry of the newly budded virus into a new cell by recognizing and binding host cell receptors. Such …
By Gertrud U. Rey Every year approximately 1800 high school students from more than 80 different countries gather at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), where they display their independent research and compete for more than $5 million worth of prizes. Last month, I had the honor of serving as a Grand Awards Judge …
