This Week in Virology

TWiV 677: Does antibody really know what time it is?

November 1, 2020

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss rapid deployment of SARS-CoV-2 testing by research laboratories in San Francisco, longitudinal observation of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in patients, and listener questions on vaccines, loss of smell, face masks, and more.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Daniel Griffin

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Download TWiV 677 (97 MB .mp3, 162 min)
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Links for this episode

Daniel’s COVID-19 graph (Twitter) 2:07, 10:30
Cornell U containment victory (Bloomberg) 5:51
Regeneron mAb trial paused (WSJ) 59:55
CLIAHUB (PLoS Path) 1:05:15
Serum antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 over time (paper one, two, three) 1:17:45
Letters read on TWiV 677 40:00, 1:54:35
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 2:25:45

Dickson – Comedy Wildlife Photography
Brianne – Ed Yong – Science reporting during a pandemic
Alan – Tree Story by Valerie Trouet
Rich – Vaccine Investigation and Online Information Network
Vincent – Wearing is Caring

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 676: Tragic gene flow from Neanderthals

October 29, 2020

In this episode we explain how regions of the human genome associated with severe COVID-19 are identified, the finding that one of these regions was inherited from Neanderthals, and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 reproduction in an immunocompromised patient.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker

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Download TWiV 676 (72 MB .mp3, 120 min)
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Links for this episode

Genome wide association study of severe COVID-19 (NEJM) 8:53, 28:35
Major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 inherited from Neanderthals (Nature) 10:03
COVID-19 host genetics initiative (Eur J Hum Gen)
Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding in immunocompromised host (J Inf Dis) 44:08
Krugman on Barrington Declaration (NY Times) 1:04:13
Letters read on TWiV 676 1:06:49
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 1:47:32

Brianne – Kids Meet a Virologist
Kathy – Harvard glass marine invertebrates 3D online
Rich – Chernobyl fungi
Vincent – Artologica

Listener Pick

Justin – Totally Under Control

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 675: Forget what you’ve herd about immunity

October 25, 2020

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then we discuss Bill Foege’s letter to CDC director Robert Redfield, the false promise of herd immunity for COVID-19, secret blueprints for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trials released, and neuropilin-1 as a possible entry protein for the virus.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Daniel Griffin

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Download TWiV 675 (105 MB .mp3, 174 min)
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Links for this episode

Excess COVID-19 Deaths by Age and Race and Ethnicity (MMWR) 11:31
Excess COVID-19 deaths (JAMA) 13:02
SARS-CoV-2 transmission (CDC) 15:42
UK challenge trial (Nature) 7:00, 2:23:44
Inflammatory cytokine signature for severe COVID-19 (Nature) 30:42
Death in AstraZeneca vaccine trial (Reuters) 33:07
Herpetic Legion – Reactivation (YouTube) 47:34
Tech position with Dr. Rosenfeld 49:14
Biological safety officer position at CUMC 49:33
Support MicrobeTV at Parasites Without Borders 48:58
Foege letter to Redfield (text, NPR article) 50:50
False promise of herd immunity (Nature) 57:27
Secret vaccine plans released (NY Times) 1:38:19
Neuropilin-1 and SARS-CoV-2 entry (paper one, two) 1:48:26
Letters read on TWiV 675 33:02, 2:01:58
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 2:41:55

Dickson – Nikon Small World Photography Competition
Brianne – Modeling Herd Immunity for measles
Alan – Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
Rich – Boundless Body Radio Bethany and Casey Ruff
Vincent – The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 674: In the company of coronaviruses with Lisa Gralinski

October 22, 2020

Lisa joins TWiV to discuss her research on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, including work on vaccines and an antiviral, then we review the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as a potential analgesic, and listener questions.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker

Guest: Lisa Gralinski

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Download TWiV 674 (71 MB .mp3, 119 min)
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Links for this episode

SARS-like bat CoV with potential for human emergence (Nat Med) 20:54
SARS-CoV susceptibility loci in CC mice (PLoS Genetics) 30:05
Combination attenuation for SARS-CoV vaccine (J Virol) 41:07
Orally administered SARS-CoV-2 antiviral (Res Sq) 52:06
Spike protein induces analgesia (Pain) 1:05:51
Letters read on TWiV 674 1:21:20
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 1:48:53

Brianne – The Lonely Pipette Podcast: Mentoring with Harmit Malik
Kathy – Dr. Boyd the Chemist one and two GREAT short videos one and two, How to read an old school thermometer, New Marvel storyline, Wear a Mask parody of Be My Guest
Rich – Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda
Vincent – Immune 36: Aberrant immunity in COVID-19

Listener Pick

Ryan – Dr. Fauci on politicization of pandemic

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 673: Wake up and smell the pandemic

October 18, 2020

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, we debunk the Great Barrington Declaration, and discuss smell and taste changes as early indicators of the pandemic, vascular disease and thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 infected humans and rhesus macaques, and the ability of the swine pathogen SADS-CoV to infect human respiratory tract cells.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Daniel Griffin

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Download TWiV 673 (97 MB .mp3, 161 min)
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Links for this episode

Daniel’s COVID-19 testing strategy calculator (and medRxiv preprint) 19:24
US COVID-19 mortality rates (JAMA) 17:50
Final remdesivir report (NEJM) 20:23
Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 (NEJM) 21:47
Tech position with Dr. Rosenfeld 43:28
Biological safety officer position at CUMC 44:19
Support MicrobeTV at Parasites Without Borders 26:41, 43:20
Smell and taste changes as early pandemic indicators (Nat Comm) 1:01:57
Vascular disease and thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 infected macaques (Cell) 1:12:45
SADS-CoV can infect human airway cells (PNAS) 1:32:16
Letters read on TWiV 673 27:08, 1:47:26
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 2:24:08

Dickson – The Age of Nature
Brianne – Virologist, Immunologist, Science Communicator pins and Virus Earrings
Alan – Sharks, Squalene, and a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine
Rich – 6th Annual Science Mill Benefit
Vincent – The Evolution of Infectious Disease by Paul Ewald

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 672: Black in Microbiology with Ari Kozik and Kishana Taylor

October 15, 2020

Ari and Kishana, two of the founders of Black in Microbiology, join TWiV to discuss the goals of the organization, then we review pauses of J&J and Lilly COVID-19 vaccine trials, preclinical studies of Regeneron’s SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody cocktail, reinfection of a patient in Nevada, and listener questions.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker

Guest: Ari Kozik and Kishana Taylor

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Download TWiV 672 (76 MB .mp3, 126 min)
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Links for this episode

Black microbiologists push for visibility (NY Times) 2:41
Black in Microbiology keynotes (YouTube) 12:04
Black in Microbiology 4:02
Black in Neuro 15:56
AstroKate rides again (and on TWiV 444) 55:27
COVID-19 testing strategy calculator (and medRxiv preprint) 1:04:32
Pause of J&J vaccine trial (STAT) 1:06:32
Pause of Lilly mAb trial (NY Times) 1:10:14
REGN-CoV-2 mAbs in animals (Science) 1:13:02
Regeneron investor slides on mAb phase 3 1:31:38
SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in US (Lancet Inf Dis) 1:33:34
Letters read on TWiV 672 1:38:42
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 1:52:22

Brianne – A Lab of One’s Own by Rita Colwell
Kathy – Endonym map
Rich – “The Coronavirus Unveiled” by Carl Zimmer
Vincent – Principles of Virology 5th Edition

Listener Pick

Les – Coronavirus cake
Mary – Choir finds a way to sing

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 671: Prizes, polio, and a pandemic puzzle

October 11, 2020

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, then Amy joins us to discuss the 2020 Chemistry Nobel Prize for gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9, continuing circulation of poliovirus in Afghanistan, inborn errors of interferon in patients with severe COVID-19, and listener questions.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit

Guests: Daniel Griffin and Amy Rosenfeld

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Download TWiV 671 (102 MB .mp3, 170 min)
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Links for this episode

ASH guidelines on anticoagulants in COVID-19 patients (ASH) 20:17
Followup of adults with noncritical COVID-19 (Clin Micr Inf) 25:06
Tocilizumab in COVID-19 ICU patients (Lancet Rheum) 18:18
Tech position with Dr. Rosenfeld 44:32
Biological safety officer position at CUMC 47:38
Support MicrobeTV at Parasites Without Borders 48:45
2020 Nobel Prize Chemistry (pdf) 51:21
Progress towards polio eradication Afghanistan (MMWR) 1:05:58
Inborn errors of IFN and serious COVID-19 (Science) 14:22, 1:22:54
Letters read on TWiV 671 33:58, 1:49:39
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 2:38:37

Amy – Coronavirus : A book for children by Kate Wilson and Nia Roberts
Alan – Lost Prologue
Rich – RAPS COVID-19 vaccine tracker
Vincent – A Crack in Creation by Doudna and Sternberg and Sternberg on TWiM 184

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 670: Coronavirus vaccine preparedness with Kizzmekia Corbett

October 8, 2020

Kizzmekia Corbett joins TWiV to review her career and her work on respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, and coronaviruses and coronavirus vaccines, including her role in development and testing of a spike-encoding mRNA vaccine, and then we review the Nobel Prize for discovery of hepatitis C virus.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler and Brianne Barker

Guest: Kizzmekia Corbett

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Download TWiV 670 (76 MB .mp3, 127 min)
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Links for this episode

Pre-fusion structure of CoV spike (Nature)
Pre-fusion structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike (Science)
Evaluation of mRNA-1273 in nonhuman primates (NEJM) 30:54
SARS-CoV-2 vaccine from pandemic preparedness (Nature)
Nanoparticulate universal influenza vaccine from stem antigens (mBio) 48:36
Biological safety officer position at Columbia U 1:00:29
Medicine Nobel Prize for Hepatitis C virus (pdf) 1:01:14
Alter’s work on non-A non-B hepatitis (paper one, paper two) 1:04:39
Houghton: single clone of HCV genome (Science) 1:05:21
Rice: Transmission of hepatitis C to chimpanzee (Science) 1:06:42
Charlie Rice on TWiV 392 1:02:51
Chemistry Nobel Prize to Doudna and Charpentier (Nobel.org) 1:13:54
FDA releases stricter guidelines for COVID-19 vaccines (NY Times, FDA pdf) 1:15:54
Bullet points of Das coronavirus 1:17:47
Recovery of 1918 influenza virus stories (one, two) 1:22:39
Letters read on TWiV 670 1:26:39
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Science Picks 1:58:26

Brianne – COVID-19 in Molecular Detail for Teaching
Kathy – Mars shining brightest since 2003
Rich – Lost Prologue
Vincent – Girl from Ipanema is weirder than you thought

Listener Pick

Sandra – Learn Medical Research

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV Special: Presidential COVID-19 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

October 5, 2020

Daniel Griffin discusses President Trump’s case of COVID-19, including the clinical course, the medications he received and why, and expectations for the next few weeks.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Daniel Griffin

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Download TWiV Special (20 MB .mp3, 34 min)
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Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode

Regeneron CoV-2 mAb cocktail results (Regeneron) 7:11
Rethinking COVID-19 test sensitivity (NEJM) 26:08
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 669: All the wrong COVID-19 moves

October 4, 2020

Daniel Griffin provides a clinical report on COVID-19, including a discussion of the role of vitamin D in COVID-19, Michael and Christopher explain why we have made all the wrong moves during the pandemic, evidence that the D614G amino acid change improves transmission in hamsters, and listener questions.