Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and Eric F. Donaldson

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Eric F. Donaldson discuss a new test for influenza H5N1, poliovirus in Minnesota, Koala retrovirus, batteries made from viruses, and SARS.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #28 (51 MB .mp3,  74 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

  • New rapid test for influenza H5N1 based on PDZ binding. Definition of ELISA.
  • Poliovirus isolated from Minnesotan (article 1 and 2)
  • Koala retrovirus: Japan story and review article
  • Batteries made from viruses (cathode and anode). Image of phage M13.
  • iMoleBuilder (iTunes link and review at Sunset Lake Software)
  • Discovery of Norwalk virus
  • Regulatin’ Genes (YouTube link)

Science blog of the week: The Great Beyond by Nature
Science podcast pick of the week: Sorting Out Science
Science book of the week: A Slot Machine, A Broken Test Tube by S.E. Luria (out of print – check your library)

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and Saul Silverstein

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Saul Silverstein revisit an ebolavirus needlestick accident, and discuss the role of TLR3 in formation of Negri bodies, a New England college closed by norovirus gastroenteritis, hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak in China, and the exit of herpes simplex virus from latency by synthesis of VP16.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #27 (49 MB .mp3, 71 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

  • Update on ebolavirus needlestick accident
  • Formation of Negri bodies depend upon TLR3
  • Norovirus outbreak closes New England college
  • Hand, foot, and mouth disease outbreak in China
  • Synthesis of VP16 coordinates herpes simplex virus exit from latency

Science blog of the week: Biocurious
Science podcast pick of the week: NPR’s Science Friday
Science book of the week: A Conspiracy of Cells by Michael Gold
Dick’s pick: Andros Island Bonefish Club
Saul’s pick: Secret Science Club

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

profvrr_opvHosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit

Vincent, Alan, and Rich Condit converse about induction of polyomavirus replication in multiple sclerosis patients treated with the MS drug Tysabri, the extent of human polyomavirus infection, selection of influenza vaccines for the 2009-10 season, cowpox virus transmission from animals to humans, vaccinia-like virus infecting humans and cattle in Brasil, and poxviruses.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #26 (52 MB .mp3, 75 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

  • JC virus, Tysabri, PML, and mefloquine at virology blog
  • Seroepidemiology of polyomaviruses in human
  • Next season’s influenza virus vaccines and how they are selected
  • Cell-culture propagated smallpox vaccine
  • Cowpox tranmission from rats to humans (Germany and France) and from cats to humans in Italy
  • Vaccinia-like virus infecting cows and humans in Brasil
  • When good vaccines go wild (review)
  • Mosquito Map (thanks Duncan)
  • Pfeiffer & Kirkegaard paper on quasispecies and virulence in mice

Science blog of the week: Coevolvers by Devin Drown
Science podcast pick of the week: QuackCast
Science book of the week: Listen to the Music: The Life of Hilary Koprowski by Roger Vaughan

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Luis Villarreal

Vincent, Alan, and Luis talk about rabies in Viet Nam and Angola, needle-stick infections with ebolavirus and West Nile virus, and viral evolution.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #25 (46 MB .mp3, 67 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

  • Furious rabies after an atypical exposure
  • Rabies outbreak in Angola
  • Ebolavirus needle stick injury in Germany
  • West Nile virus needle stick injury in South Africa
  • Antibody response to smallpox vaccine in humans (including Dr. Villarreal)
  • The chemical formula for poliovirus is C332,652H492,388N98,245O131,196P7,501S2,340

Science blog of the week: Small Things Considered by Moselio Schaechter and Merry Youle
Science podcast pick of the week: The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe
Science book of the week: Viruses and the Evolution of Life by Luis Villarreal

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Hamish Young

Vincent, Alan, and Hamish Young discuss bacteriophages in viral vaccines, enteroviruses and diabetes, inhibition of Hendra and Nipah virus replication by the malaria drug chloroquine, and viroids.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #24 (41 MB .mp3,  59 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

Science blog of the week: The Weekly Virus
Science podcast pick of the week: NIH Research Radio Podcast
Science book of the week: Ahead of the Curve: David Baltimore’s Life in Science by Shane Crotty

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv.

twivHosts: Vincent RacanielloDick Despommier, and Alan Dove

Vincent, Dick, and Alan review a new macaque model for HIV-1 infection, a possible role for Epstein-Barr virus in multiple sclerosis, accidental release of H5N1 by a vaccine company, resistance of frogs to virus infection, and extreme virology – the biggest and smallest viruses and viral genomes.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #23 (34 MB .mp3,  49 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

Science blog of the week: H5N1 by Croft
Science podcast pick of the week: MicrobeWorld video
Science book of the week: Autism’s False Prophets by Paul A. Offit, MD (podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell)

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Chris Upton

Vincent and Chris Upton converse about hepatitis B in India, AIDS gene therapy with a ribozyme, antibodies that neutralize many influenza virus strains, killing tumors with vaccinia virus, myxoma virus of rabbits, and the Viral Bioinformatics Resource Center.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #22 (40 MB .mp3,  59 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Science blog of the week: The VBRC blog by Chris Upton
Science podcast pick of the week: Nova ScienceNow
Science book of the week: The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv.

Hosts: Vincent RacanielloDick Despommier, Alan Dove, and Max Gottesman

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Max Gottesman discuss an unusual wasp-virus symbiosis, influenza transmission and absolute humidity, how mosquitoes survive Dengue virus infection, and viruses of bacteria.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #21 (38 MB .mp3,  55 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

  • Unusual wasp-virus symbiosis
  • Absolute humidity modulates influenza virus transmission, survival, and seasonality
  • How mosquitoes survive Dengue virus infection
  • Little Lambda, Who Made Thee?
  • Structure of HK97 procapsid

Science blog of the week: BioJobBlog by Cliff Mintz
Science podcast pick of the week: Distillations –  a weekly science podcast that brings you extracts from the past, present, and future of chemistry
Science book of the week: The Life of a Virus by Andrea Creager

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and Matt Evans

Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Matt Evans converse about TED, the Wakefield autism controversy, 99 rhinovirus sequences, Marburg in the USA, and hepatitis C virus.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #20 (46 MB .mp3, 66 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

  • A photographer catches Bill Gates’ mosquitoes
  • Joe DeRisi at TED
  • Dengue virus entry movie
  • Sequencing of 99 rhinovirus serotype genomes
  • Two views of the Wakefield autism controversy here and here
  • Marburg virus comes to the USA
  • Human occludin is a hepatitis C virus entry factor required for infection of mouse cells

Science blog of the week: Not exactly rocket science by Ed Yong
Science podcast pick of the week:
Neuropod
Science book of the week: Phage and the Origins of Molecular Biology Edited by John Cairns, Guther S. Stent, and James D. Watson

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Alan Dove

Vincent and Alan discuss cap-snatching by the hantavirus N protein and the influenza virus endonuclease, HIV-1 and Ebola virus antagonism of tetherin, and influenza pneumonia.

Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #19 (28 MB .mp3, 40 minutes)

Subscribe (free): iTunesRSSemail

Links for this episode:

Science blog of the week: Mystery Rays from Outer Space
Science podcast pick of the week: Emerging Infectious Diseases Podcast
Science book of the week: The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv.