TWiV explains how remdesivir inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase: the drug is incorporated into the growing RNA chain and causes synthesis to stall when the drug clashes with an amino acid in the active site. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode How remdesivir stalls the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase (Nat Comm) Movie of polymerase stalling (Nat Comm) Second mechanism of remdesivir inhibition (J Biol Chem) Watson Crick molecular model (Science Museum Group) Letters read on TWiV 819 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Kathy – Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland Rich – How to Temporarily Disable Your Keyboard with a Keyboard Shortcut in Windows Alan – How to Make a Slave and Other Essays by Jerald Walker Vincent – A structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid Listener Picks Steve – How the immune system actually works Lise – Lise Meitner: A Life in Physics Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

This Week in Virology

TWiV 819: How to stall a copy machine

The TWiVers review phase 3 efficacy and safety results for the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine, effects on the neonatal immune system caused by maternal infection with SARS-CoV-2, and NHC, the metabolite of molnupiravir, causes mutations in cellular DNA. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Efficacy and safety of Novavax vaccine (medRxiv) A floret of spikes with Matt Frieman (TWiV 729) Maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection affects neonatal immunity (Nat Immunol) NHC is mutagenic in mammalian cells (J Inf Dis) Coding for catastrophe (Nat Struct Mol Biol) Molnupiravir development (Nature) Letters read on TWiV 818 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson –  John Clease Brianne – Astronomy Picture of the Day: Swirl in the Southern Sky Kathy – Lise Meitner  Statue is at the Humboldt University Rich – Google has the cleanest cloud. Now it’s helping other companies go green Vincent – Discovery of reverse transcriptase by Baltimore and Temin Listener Picks Sam – Air Travel Packing List Justin – PFAS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and EPA targets greenhouse emissions Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 818: Thor's hammer

In COVID-19 clinical update #84, Dr. Griffin discusses childrens’ antibody response to vaccination, phase 3 results of Novavax vaccine, heterologous vaccination, antithrombotic therapy, EUA for molnupiravir, phase 3 results of AZD7442, serum ferritin levels and outcomes, heparin therapy, and WHO strategy for global vaccination. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello   Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Antibody profiles after mRNA vaccination in children (bioRxiv) Novavax vaccine phase 3 results (medRxiv) Heterologous vaccine boosters (medRxiv) Antithrombotic therapy outcomes (JAMA) Molnupiravir EUA submitted (Merck) AZD7442 phase 3 results (AstraZeneca) Serum ferritin levels and disease outcome (JAMA) Heparin efficacy (JAMA) WHO strategy to vaccinate world (WHO) Letters read on TWiV 817 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 817: COVID-19 clinical update #84 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

David Tuller returns to TWiV to revisit his work to expose the methodological and ethical problems with the PACE trial, and the post-acute sequelae to SARS-CoV-2 infection, also known as long COVID. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guest: David Tuller Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Call me David Tuller (TWiV Special) David writes at virology blog Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 816: Long COVID and ME/CFS with David Tuller

Moshe and Ivet join TWiV to discuss their finding that MIS-C is a consequence of a superantigen in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that causes activation of a skewed population of T cell receptor bearing lymphocytes, leading to hyperinflammation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit and Kathy Spindler Guests: Moshe Arditi and Ivet Behar Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode MIS-C in US children (NEJM) Superantigen in spike and T cell skewing in MIS-C (PNAS) MIS-C mimics toxic shock syndrome (J Allergy Clin Immunol) Antibody against bacterial superantigen blocks SARS-CoV-2 entry (Structure) Autoimmune signature of MIS-C in children (J Clin Invest) HLA1 associated T cell expansion in MIS-C (J Clin Invest) Passing of Bill Wold (one, two) Letters read on TWiV 815 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson –  Mel Brooks Kathy – Dickson’s art show at Fordham Rich – Saildrone captures footage from inside Hurricane Sam Vincent – A Shot to Save the World: The Inside Story of the Life-or-Death Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine by Gregory Zuckerman Listener Picks Kathryn – Project Drawdown and the book Charles – Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 815: MIS-C with Moshe Arditi and Ivet Bahar

In COVID-19 clinical update #83, Daniel Griffin discusses upcoming FDA discussions on vaccines, strategies to prevent transmission at youth camps, outbreaks at summer camps, impact of vaccination on transmission, AZD7442 request for EUA filed, EUA issued for home antigen test, phase 3 data on AZD1222 vaccine, 6 month effectiveness of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, estimates of durability of immunity against reinfection, Molnupiravir interim results, optimal time for monoclonal antibody infusion, IVIG plus Infliximab for MIS-C, and effect of vaccination on long COVID. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Preventing transmission at camps (MMWR) Outbreaks at summer camps (MMWR) Impact of vaccination on transmission (medRxiv) AZD7442 request for FDA EUA (AstraZeneca) FDA EUA for home antigen test (FDA) Phase 3 results AZD1222 vaccine (NEJM) 6 month effectiveness BNT1`62b2 vaccine (Lancet) Durability of immunity vs reinfection (Lancet) Molnupiravir interim results (Merck) Optimal time for mAb therapy (Inf Dis Advisor) IVIG plus Infliximab for MIS-C (Pediatrics) Effect of vaccination on long COVID (Lancet preprint) Letters read on TWiV 814 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 814: COVID-19 clinical update #83 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

From the 2021 online meeting of the European Society for Clinical Virology, Vincent speaks with meeting speakers on COVID-19 vaccines, immunity, how countries responded to the pandemic, and how to prepare for the next one. Host: Vincent Racaniello Guests: Sarah Gilbert, Florian Krammer, Fausto Baldanti, Thea Fischer, Ron Fouchier, and Catherine Moore Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Correlate of protection needed for COVID-19 vaccines (Nat Med) Simian adenoviruses as vaccine vectors (Future Viral) Early SARS-CoV-2 spread in Lombardy (Nat Comm) SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Denmark (Clin Micro Inf) SARS-CoV-2 testing in an academic center (Nat Biotech) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 813: COVID-19 at the European Society for Clinical Virology

TWiV considers lessons learned from COVID-19 about emergency drug use during a pandemic, and selection of AAV capsids to produce vectors that efficiently deliver genes to muscle cells. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode   Emergency drug use during a pandemic (Cell) Muscle-directed AAV capsids (Cell) Designer AAV muscles up (Cell) Letters read on TWiV 812 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson -  Sid Caesar - The German General Brianne - These Sea Slugs Break a Cardinal Rule of Animal Life Rich - Seek by iNaturalist Alan - The hard part of making a game is ... everything Vincent - Columbia Pledges That All Future Campus Construction Will Be Fossil Free Listener Picks Bruce - Bat Superpowers Gary - We’re Already Barreling Toward the Next Pandemic Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv  

TWiV 812: Bespoke capsids delivered

In COVID-19 clinical update #82, Daniel Griffin reviews vaccines for 5-12 years old, safety of a third vaccine dose, Oklahoma reinfection data, Regencov outcomes, Pfizer protease inhibitor, impact of Tocilizumab, and incidence of long COVID. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Data on Pfizer-BioNTech in 5-12 year olds (Pfizer) Safety of additional vaccine dose (MMWR) Oklahoma reinfection rates (OK DOH) Regencov outcomes (NEJM) Pfizer protease inhibitor trial (Pfizer) WHO recommends antibody therapy (Hosp Health) Tocilizumab use in hospitalized patients (Resp Care) Long COVID (PLoS Medicine) Letters read on TWiV 811 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 811: COVID-19 clinical update #82 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

TWiV reviews how a novel technology enabled development of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, and discovery of a proton gradient and an incomplete TCA cycle in a giant. virus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode mRNA vaccines, a novel technology (Cell) Proton gradient in giant virus (ISME J) Tomograms of Pandoravirus massiliensis Pandoraviruses are not alive (virology blog) Letters read on TWiV 810 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne –  PhD Comics: Words Said By No Academic Ever Kathy – Bach Cello Suite #1 visualization Rich – Hypnagogia Vincent – Landsat 9 and Wiki Listener Picks Lori – Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Kevin – Oak Savannahs Intro music is by Ronald Jenke Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 810: Opening Pandora's box

TWiV reveals isolation from bats in Laos of a SARS-CoV-2 like virus with a spike protein that allows entry into human cells, and exploration of a herpesvirus vector for immunization of vampire bats against rabies virus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit and Amy Rosenfeld Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode SARS-CoV-2 like viruses from Laotian bats (Res Sq) Herpesvirus in rabies endemic vampire bats (Nat Comm) Letters read on TWiV 809 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson –  George Carlin: “Stuff” Amy – The best of me by David Sedaris Rich – You could have a secret twin (but not the way you think) Alan – Nuclear powered Gameboy Vincent – No, Vaccinated People Are Not ‘Just as Likely’ to Spread the Coronavirus as Unvaccinated People by Craig Spencer Listener Picks Michael – The tangled history mRNA vaccines Fernando – 1493 by Charles Mann Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 809: Vampire vax

In COVID-19 clinical update #81, Daniel Griffin discusses vaccine boosters, vaccination during pregnancy, mRNA vaccine comparison, J&J vaccine booster, EUA expansion for Lilly monoclonals, remdesivir reduces risk of hospitalization, and anticoagulation regimens. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Pfizer phase III results in 5-11 year olds (Pfizer) FDA authorizes booster (FDA) V-safe vaccine pregnancy registry (CDC) High antibody levels in cord blood (Am J Ob Gyn) mRNA vaccines compared (MMWR) Effectiveness of single shot J&J (medRxiv) J&J booster results (J&J) EUA expansion for Lilly mAbs (Lilly) Remdesivir reduces hospitalization risk (Gilead) DisCoVeRy on Remdesivir (Lancet) Prophylactic anticoagulant dosing (Eur Heart J) Letters read on TWiV 808 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 808: Clinical update #81 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

Chadi and Caroline join TWiV to describe the potential epidemiological and evolutionary impacts of vaccine nationalism, and their modeling which emphasizes the importance of rapid equitable vaccine distribution for global control of the pandemic. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit and Brianne Barker Guests: Chadi Saad-Roy and Caroline Wagner Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Vaccine nationalism and control of the pandemic (Science) Vaccine sharing app Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 simulation Dynamics of vaccination simulation Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization (MMWR) Letters read on TWiV 807 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Dickson –  Ernie Kovaks-Nairobi Trio Brianne – XKCD Summarizes this Episode Rich – Texas Coronavirus Antibody REsponse Survey (CARES) (Dashboard) Vincent – Elmer Pfefferkorn Listener Picks Catherine – A Life on Our Planet Attila – How to improve your chances of nudging the vaccine hesitant away from hesitancy and toward vaccinationIntro music is by Ronald Jenke Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 807: The shot yearned 'round the world with Chadi Saad-Roy and Caroline Wagner

In COVID-19 clinical update #80, Daniel Griffin reviews infections in children, masking, testing to limit transmission, high barrier for monoclonal antibody escape, are boosters needed, use of steroids, grants for long COVID, and how the pandemic unfolds in Africa. Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Hospitalization pre- and post-vaccines (Res Sq) Infection in children (medRxiv) Updated mask guidance (CDC) Transmission to masked and unmasked (MMWR) Daily testing in schools (Lancet) High barrier to mAb escape (bioRxiv) Boosters not needed (Lancet) Distribution system for mAbs (HHS) Steroids in non-oxygen requiring patients (Int J Med) Grants for long COVID (NIH) Genomic surveillance in Africa (Science) Letters read on TWiV 806 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 806: COVID-19 clinical update #80 with Dr. Daniel Griffin

The TWiVotopes review current evidence which does not show the need for widespread COVID-19 booster vaccination, and results of experiments to examine the replication and immune evasion of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode ASV Vaccine Town Halls Vaccine boosters not needed (Lancet) Delta variant replication and immune evasion (Nature) Epidemiologically linked COVID-19 outbreaks (MMWR) Letters read on TWiV 805 Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Weekly Picks Brianne – Sloan Foundation Theater Kathy – COVID vaccines work, even if you don’t have side effects lay article  primary article Rich – Science Alone Can’t Heal a Sick Society by Jay S. Kaufman Vincent – Sandra Black SciArt Listener Pick Ruth – Radio Lento podcast Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 805: Delta and boosters

TWiV is a weekly netcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick. Brought to you by four university professors and a science writer.

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This Week in Virology

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