This Week in Virology (TWiV) is a podcast – or netcast, as some prefer to call them, since you don’t need an iPod to listen – about viruses. It was begun in September 2008 by Vincent Racaniello and Dick Despommier, two science Professors at Columbia University Medical Center. Their goal was to have an informal yet informative conversation about viruses which would be accessible to everyone, no matter what their science background. We wanted to eventually bring other virologists into the conversation, to make it more varied and interesting. Alan Dove, a science writer, joined us late in 2008, and Rich Condit, a poxvirologist, joined in 2009. We’ve had a number of guests on the show and we’re always trying to get more.
Why are we doing this? Dick, Rich, and I have spent our entire academic careers directing research laboratories, so we have a lot of knowledge to share. Plus, we both enjoy teaching. Put those two things together, and you have TWiV. If you want to learn about viruses in a relaxing way, then TWiV is for you.
In episode 21 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Dick Despommier, Alan Dove, and special guest Max Gottesman, discuss an unusual wasp-virus symbiosis, influenza transmission and absolute humidity, how mosquitoes survive Dengue virus infection, and viruses of bacteria.
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
Please send your virology questions and comments to twiv [at] twiv [dot] tv.
To listen, click the play button next to the title of this entry. You can subscribe for free to TWIV via iTunes, through the RSS feed with a podcast aggregator or feed reader, or by email.
Vincent, Dick, Alan, and Matt Evans converse about TED, the Wakefield autism controversy, 99 rhinovirus sequences, Marburg in the USA, and hepatitis C virus.
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
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.
WHO confirmed cases of H5N1 influenza Hantavirus N protein replaces eIF4F and sequesters capped primers in P bodies Ebola virus G protein antagonizes tetherin 1918 influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia Rabies survivor: Articles from CDC and New England Journal of Medicine ProMedMail report on Fatal rabies case in the UK Documentary film, “Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist”
Vincent, Dick, and Alan discuss adenovirus type 36 and obesity, new influenza antiviral drugs, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus of fish, and Ebola virus in pigs and pig farmers in the Phillipines.
Nature paper and virology blog post on induction of adipogenic cascade by adenovirus. New influenza antiviral drugs: Clinical Infectious Diseases review and post at virology blog. Snow, insecurity hamper polio immunization in Afghanistan. VHS virus could threaten Lake Champlain. Tobacco mosaic virus is molecule of the month at the Protein Data Bank. NY Times article and post at virology blog on Ebola in pig farmers. “Bats prove to be rich reservoirs for emerging viruses”, Microbe Magazine. Article on HIV resistance in African sex workers.
Vincent, Dick, and Saul talk about discoveries in virology that have had a major impact on the field.
Sem•i•nal (adjective): strongly influencing later developments. Note: There are two HPV vaccines on the market: Gardasil (quadrivalent, types 6, 11, 16, 18) and Cervarix (bivalent, types 16 and 18).
Gates Foundation donates to polio eradication effort. Testing a bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine in India. We played a clip from net@night episode 83. I wrote about Jonathan Swift’s ‘Animalcules’ on virology blog.
Vincent and Jeremy, in Saanen, Switzerland, review the 19th Challenge in Virology meeting, and implications of a new HIV-1 sequence from 1960 for the origin of AIDS.
NY Times article on Offit vaccine book. Nature paper on new 1960 HIV-1 sequence. Massive polio immunization in Pakistan. PLoS paper on T cell responses to HERVs in HIV-1 infection.
Vincent, Dick, and Alan converse about hantavirus spread by large deer mice, why the 1918 influenza virus replicates in the lower respiratory tract, measles in Europe, and the growing resistance of influenza virus to antivirals.
Vincent and Alan discuss a viral upper respiratory tract infection, transmission of H5N1 influenza virus, death of an HIV denialist, and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
PLoS Pathogens paper on transmission of H5N1 influenza virus. Ebola outbreak in DRC reported by ProMedMail. Death of HIV denialist. BioCrowd, a network for bioscientists. Molecules, the iPhone/iPod Touch app to display molecules.
Vincent and Alan talk about President-elect Obama’s choices for his science advisors, SARS sensationalism, a new enteric picornavirus, and the top 10 virology stories of 2008.
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. Have a great 2009!
Vincent, Alan, and Angela discuss Kuru, prions in milk, ancient lentiviruses found in the chromosomes of lemurs, a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine failure in the 1960s, and recent outbreaks of H5N1 influenza in chickens.
D. Carleton Gajdusek obituary in the NY Times. We forgot to mention that he won the 1976 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on Kuru.
Send your virology questions and comments to
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. Let us know what you think were the top virology stories of 2008.
