Viruses are acellular infectious agents that depend entirely on host cellular machinery for replication and are therefore studied as a central topic in microbiology, virology, and infectious disease research. They consist minimally of a nucleic acid genome (DNA or RNA, single- or double-stranded, linear or circular) enclosed in a protein capsid, and in many cases a host-derived lipid envelope containing viral glycoproteins. Viral classification and research focus on genome organization, replication strategies, host range, tropism, mechanisms of cell entry and egress, immune evasion, and evolutionary dynamics, as well as their roles in pathogenesis, horizontal gene transfer, and biotechnology applications such as vectors and phage therapy.
Viruses and bacteria get a bad rap around the world, but now Flinders University experts are identifying the positive "upside" of powerful benefits that microbes have on human health.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 16, 2025
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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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12
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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36
Viruses in wetland soil play a more important role than previously understood and could even be indicators of ecosystem health, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Recently published ...
Ecology
Dec 10, 2025
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24
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
A research team led by Prof. Sun Chaomin from the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) has unveiled the crucial role of viruses in deep-sea carbon cycling and microbial community structure. Their ...
Ecology
Dec 9, 2025
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23
Using proteins from a common tobacco plant virus, McGill chemistry researchers have developed a simple, eco-friendly way to arrange gold nanoparticles into ultrathin sheets, strengthening the particles' optical properties. ...
Bio & Medicine
Dec 8, 2025
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49
An investigation into cellular components in bacteria has unexpectedly uncovered a feature with relevance across many life forms, paving the way for diverse research, biotechnical and medical applications.
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 8, 2025
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20
