Articles tagged with Viral Vectors
A NASA-funded study utilizes satellite data on temperature and vegetation to forecast West Nile Virus transmission and identify high-risk areas. The analysis reveals that mosquito populations thrive in warmer, wetter conditions, allowing researchers to pinpoint disease hotspots and make predictions about future outbreaks.
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) has established a network to provide clinical researchers with access to human gene vectors and toxicology studies. Seven NIH components will participate in the network, which aims to eliminate barriers to gene transfer research.
A study found that tick-borne diseases are a major concern for travelers, with over 100 viruses and bacteria transmitted through ticks. The most serious problem is posed by hard ticks, which can cause mild irritation but also transmit fatal diseases like Lyme disease and tick-borne typhus.
A genetically stripped down HIV-based vector has been developed that can deliver genes to target cells in the body safely. The vector can also be turned off with a common antibiotic, which suggests doctors may one day be able to control gene expression in people treated with HIV-based gene therapy vectors.
Researchers at University of Iowa have found that a specific gene vector, AAV5, can effectively reach many brain sites following a single injection. The study suggests that AAV5-based vectors could be used to deliver correct copies of genes to cells throughout the central nervous system without multiple injections.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina will use a novel vaccine method to develop a safe and effective HIV vaccine. Early tests on monkeys show promise, with vaccinated animals showing significant cellular and humoral immunity and reduced virus load.
University of Michigan scientists have developed a new generation of viral vectors that deliver the dystrophin gene to the muscles of adult mice with muscular dystrophy. The new vectors, called 'gutted' viruses, are stripped of most of their original genes to make room for the large dystrophin gene and reduce immune response.
The American Society of Gene Therapy will hold its inaugural annual meeting from May 28 through May 31 in Seattle, featuring sessions on gene therapy vectors and various diseases. Over 1,500 scientists are expected to attend, with a focus on education and collaboration.
Researchers have developed a novel gene-therapy strategy to target HIV-infected cells using the virus's molecular tools against it. The technique, which employs therapeutic genes only in infected cells, has broad applicability and could potentially cure HIV infection.