This Week in Virology

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TWiV 733: COVID-19 clinical update #54 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 20, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #54, Daniel Griffin covers effectiveness of 3 vs 6 ft physical distancing, effectiveness of masks, physical distancing, and eye shields, second vaccine dose completion, alleviation of COVID-19 symptoms after vaccination, vaccine trials in children, and IDSA approval of a mAb cocktail.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Links for this episode

Effectiveness of 3 ft vs 6 ft (CID)
Effect of physical distancing, masks, eye protection (Lancet)
Vaccine second dose completion (MMWR)
IDSA mAb recommendations (IDSA)
Letters read on TWiV 733
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 732: Citizen science with Forest Rohwer and Maria-Isabel Rojas Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

Forest and Maria-Isabel join TWiV to discuss their their project to engage thousands of citizens to swab inanimate surfaces in the San Diego area, then send the samples to the Rohwer Lab for nucleic acid analysis.

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

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Links for this episode

Forest on TWiV 391
Swabbing surfaces in San Diego (10News)
Nido21 meeting
Molnupiravir in phase 2a (Fierce Biotech)
Letters read on TWiV 732
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – 10 amazing science tricks with liquids Brianne – How Do Blind Worms See the Color Blue? Rich – Statewide Study Shows Evidence Of Significant COVID-19 Antibodies In Children Kathy – Dark side of the moon as it crosses Earth Vincent – Wasdkeyboards and Novelkeys

Listener Pick

Bronwen – COVID Performance Index

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 731: The kids aren't alright Mar 14, 2021

Show notes

On a TWiV tetramer, we review the ongoing outbreaks of Ebolavirus disease in DRC and Guinea, evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are far more prevalent than are being detected, and recent long COVID estimates from the UK.

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

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Links for this episode

Ebolavirus disease outbreak continues in Africa (ProMedMail)
List of Ebolavirus outbreaks (Wikipedia)
Ebolavirus genome sequences from Guinea (virological)
Bias in reporting on childhood SARS-CoV-2 infections (Clinical Inf Dis)
Estimated SARS-CoV-2 prevalence (MMWR)
Estimated burden of SARS-CoV-2 by age group (CDC)
UK long COVID estimates (pdf)
Space Shuttle fly-by Vincent's office (YouTube)
Letters read on TWiV 731
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – Who Would Kidnap a Space Telescope? Alan – Radio Garden Rich – Countries with more obesity have had more covid deaths on average Vincent – Concord Aerospace

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 730: COVID-19 clinical update #53 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 13, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #53, Daniel Griffin reviews underreporting of infections and long term disease in children, a blood test for T cells, results of phase 3 trials for monoclonal antibodies, preliminary findings on an oral antiviral, clinical trial of ivermectin, and recommendations for upcoming gatherings.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Links for this episode

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in
EUA for T cell test (FDA)
Lilly mAb phase 3 results (Lilly)
VIR-7831 mAb phase 3 results (Globenewswire)
Molnupiravir phase 2a results (Merck)
Ivermectin not supported for mild COVID-19 (JAMA)
Recommendations for fully vaccinated people (CDC)
Letters read on TWiV 730
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 729: A floret of spikes with Matt Frieman Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

Matt Frieman returns to TWiV to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic from the point of view of a coronavirologist, including his work with Novavax on their spike protein-based vaccine.

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

Guest: Matt Frieman

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Links for this episode

Phase 1-2 trial of Novavax protein vaccine (NEJM)
MERS-CoV spike nanoparticle vaccine in mice (Vaccine)
Novavax phase 3 press release
When you've been fully vaccinated (CDC)
Letters read on TWiV 729
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Covid-19 deaths per million ranked by average income Brianne – KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor for Feb 2021 and KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor Dashboard Rich – The Woman Who Stood Between America and a Generation of 'Thalidomide Babies'(wiki) Kathy – Quadrantid meteor (Quadrantids) Vincent – Higher Superstition by Paul Gross and Norman Levitt

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 728: Cover your nose and mouse Mar 07, 2021

Show notes

TWiV notes the passing of Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, and reviews data on maximizing fit for cloth and medical procedure masks, SARS-CoV-2 total and subgenomic viral load in hospitalized patients, and effect of changes in spike protein on efficacy in a mouse model of infection.

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

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Links for this episode

Mavis Agbandje-McKenna dies (UF)
Mavis on TWiV 448
Maximizing mask fit (MMWR)
Genomic and subgenomic RNA in COVID-19 patients (medRxiv)
Effect of spike changes on protection of mice (mBio)
Letters read on TWiV 728
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Wild animal photos Brianne – Greater than COVID Alan – WHO report on infodemic response Rich – Reference Guide to the International Space Station Vincent – 3D Molecular Designs

Listener Picks

Lisbeth – Have the new jab Karen – Cholera exhibit at Museum of Trades and Crafts

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 727: COVID-19 clinical update #52 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Mar 06, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #52, Daniel Griffin reviews differences in attack rates between children and adults, J&J vaccine phase III data, G6PD deficiency and vaccines, NIH halts convalescent plasma trial, dexamethasone in hospitalized patients, data on tocilizumab, and long COVID in children.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

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Links for this episode

SARS-CoV-2 attack rates in children and adults (Clin Inf Dis)
Documents for J&J COVID-19 vaccine review (FDA)
Convalescent plasma and clinical outcomes (JAMA)
NIH halts convalescent plasma trial (NIH)
Dexamethasone in hospitalized COVID-19 patients (NEJM)
Tocilizumab in hospitalized COVID-19 patients (NEJM)
Update on long COVID prevalence (UK ONS)
Letters read on TWiV 727
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 726: Molecular animator Janet Iwasa Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

Janet Iwasa joins TWiV to recount how she became a molecular animator, including a pivot during her Ph.D. thesis research, the value of animations in science, and their latest animation of SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells.

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

Guest: Janet Iwasa

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Links for this episode

The Animation Lab
SARS-CoV-2 animation
Documents for J&J COVID-19 vaccine review (FDA)
- Phase III data (pdf)
- Slide presentation of data (pdf)
- Addendum (pdf)
- Summary of v-Safe data (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne – How T cells see SARS-CoV2 Rich – Ice bubbles in Lago Bianco, Switzerland Kathy – Music in COVID-19 control tents Vincent – Perseverance runs on processors used in 1990s iMacs

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 725: Eva Harris and Janet Smith clip flavivirus wings Feb 28, 2021

Show notes

Eva Harris and Janet Smith join TWiV to discuss how an antibody against dengue virus NS1 protein blocks endothelial dysfunction and the potential of treating infections by multiple flaviviruses.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

Guest: Eva Harris and Janet Smith

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Links for this episode

Eva Harris on TWiV 228
Zika virus in Nicaragua (virology blog)
How an antibody block NS1-mediated endothelial dysfunction (Science)
Broadly protective antibody against NS1 (Science)
Letters read on TWiV 725
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Alan – Science Photographer of the Year Awards Rich – Bar Keeper's Friend Kathy – Perseverance secret message and other Easter eggs, 11 million Earthlings' names, "Name the Rover" essay contest. Sign up to send your name on a future Mars mission. Vincent – COVID-19 dataset

Listener Picks

Matthew - Remembering the colleagues we lost to COVID-19 Lori - Iceberger

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 724: COVID-19 clinical update #51 with Dr. Daniel Griffin Feb 27, 2021

Show notes

In COVID-19 clinical update #51, Daniel Griffin reviews use of two masks, effectiveness of testing in nursing homes, updates on vaccines, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, little effect of vitamin D and remdesivir in clinical studies, and a long COVID research initiative from NIH.

Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello

Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email

Become a patron of TWiV!

Links for this episode