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 27 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Dick Despommier, and Saul Silverstein revisit an ebola virus 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.
In episode 26 of This Week in Virology, hosts Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove and guest 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.
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.
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.
In episode 22 of This Week in Virology, host Vincent Racaniello and guest host Chris Upton, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Victoria in Vancouver, Canada, 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.
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.
