Virology is the branch of biological sciences that investigates viruses and virus-like agents, encompassing their molecular structure, genome organization, replication strategies, evolution, and interactions with host cells and organisms. It integrates methods from molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, immunology, and cell biology to elucidate viral entry, gene expression, assembly, egress, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. Virology also addresses virus classification, epidemiology, host range, and antiviral resistance, and underpins the rational design of vaccines, antiviral drugs, viral vectors for gene delivery, and oncolytic virotherapies, as well as biosurveillance and containment strategies for emerging and re-emerging viral diseases.
A research team led by Václav Vopálenský and Martin Pospíšek from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, has discovered a surprising way in which the vaccinia virus handles its genetic messages.
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 12, 2026
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18
Plant viruses pose a serious and ongoing threat to global agriculture in tropical to temperate regions. Among the most damaging are begomoviruses, a group of DNA viruses spread by whiteflies that infect many important food ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jan 9, 2026
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23
Across all domains of life, immune defenses foil invading viruses by making it impossible for the viruses to replicate. Most known CRISPR systems target invading pathogens' DNA and chop it up to disable and modify genes, ...
Biotechnology
Jan 7, 2026
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30
The origin of life on Earth becomes even more fascinating and complex as we peer into the mysterious world of viruses. Said to have existed since living cells first appeared, these microscopic entities differ greatly from ...
Evolution
Jan 7, 2026
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85
Filoviruses get their name from the Latin word "filum," meaning thread—a reference to their long, filamentous shape. This virus family contains some of the most dangerous pathogens known to science, including Ebola, Sudan, ...
Bio & Medicine
Dec 19, 2025
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34
Research relies on replication: Different teams need to make the same conclusion multiple times before a consensus is reached and the finding can be built upon or applied. More may rest on the tools researchers use than previously ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Dec 15, 2025
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11
Washington State University researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness, a discovery that could someday lead to new antiviral treatments.
Bio & Medicine
Dec 15, 2025
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20
Viruses are typically described as tiny, perfectly geometric shells that pack genetic material with mathematical precision, but new research led by scientists at Penn State reveals a deliberate imbalance in their shape that ...
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 12, 2025
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55
In 2020, as scientists around the world were racing to understand COVID-19, Prof. Roy Bar-Ziv and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science started developing a DNA chip that could not only quickly show how our immune ...
Bio & Medicine
Dec 11, 2025
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35
In a pilot study, researchers from North Carolina State University have found a novel kirkovirus that may be associated with colitis—and potentially small colon impactions—in horses. The study could offer a route to new therapies ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 9, 2025
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14
