Hepatitis C Virus
Seng-Lai Tan and Yupeng He (Amgen Inc., Seattle, WA, USA and Antiviral Research, Abbott Laboratories, USA; respectively), present a new book on Hepatitis C: Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development
The editors of this book have recruited experts from around the world to produce a timely and well-compiled review of current HCV research with an emphasis on antiviral drug development. The chapters provide in-depth reviews of the most critical areas of research. Topics covered include: the HCV life cycle, HCV assays, HCV resources, HCV databases, HCV infection systems, models of hepatitis C infections, overview of the drug pipeline, clinical trial design, clinical virology and drug development, NS3 protease inhibitors, NS3-NS4A complex inhibitors, NS3 helicase inhibitors, NS4B targets and inhibitors, NS5A inhibitors, nucleoside inhibitors, NS5B polymerase inhibitors, glycoprotein-dependent entry, host cell targets and inhibitors, and innate immunity for HCV antiviral therapy.
An essential book for scientists involved with HCV and anyone interested in antiviral drug development. A recommended text for all virology libraries. read more ...
The editors of this book have recruited experts from around the world to produce a timely and well-compiled review of current HCV research with an emphasis on antiviral drug development. The chapters provide in-depth reviews of the most critical areas of research. Topics covered include: the HCV life cycle, HCV assays, HCV resources, HCV databases, HCV infection systems, models of hepatitis C infections, overview of the drug pipeline, clinical trial design, clinical virology and drug development, NS3 protease inhibitors, NS3-NS4A complex inhibitors, NS3 helicase inhibitors, NS4B targets and inhibitors, NS5A inhibitors, nucleoside inhibitors, NS5B polymerase inhibitors, glycoprotein-dependent entry, host cell targets and inhibitors, and innate immunity for HCV antiviral therapy.
An essential book for scientists involved with HCV and anyone interested in antiviral drug development. A recommended text for all virology libraries. read more ...
 | Edited by: Seng-Lai Tan and Yupeng He ISBN: 978-1-904455-78-3 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: April 2011 Cover: hardback |
Conference Alert: Environmental Virology
Category: Microbiology Conferences | Virology Conferences
October 7 - 9, 2010 Future Challenges in Food and Environmental Virology
Istanbul, Turkey Further information
2nd COST929 Symposium. A European Network for Environmental and Food Virology
Suggested reading: Environmental Microbiology Books
Istanbul, Turkey Further information
2nd COST929 Symposium. A European Network for Environmental and Food Virology
Suggested reading: Environmental Microbiology Books
Conferencs Alert: Antivirals
Category: Microbiology Conferences | Virology Conferences
October 10 - 13, 2010 International Conference on Antivirals for Neglected and Emerging Viruses (ICAV-9)
Lubeck, Germany Further information
ICAV-9 will focus on the discovery of antiviral therapies of disease caused by dengue virus, influenza virus, enteroviruses, chikungunyavirus, coronaviruses, and other emerging or neglected viruses. Also have a microsymposium on Targeting Host Factors in HIV/AIDS Therapy
Suggested reading: Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research
Lubeck, Germany Further information
ICAV-9 will focus on the discovery of antiviral therapies of disease caused by dengue virus, influenza virus, enteroviruses, chikungunyavirus, coronaviruses, and other emerging or neglected viruses. Also have a microsymposium on Targeting Host Factors in HIV/AIDS Therapy
Suggested reading: Frontiers in Dengue Virus Research
Caliciviruses book review
I am pleased to provide the following excerpt from a book review of Caliciviruses: Molecular and Cellular Virology:
"This book is an up-to-date review ... provides both basic information on the caliciviruses and the new experimental data ... The authors have provided important reviews of the current status of research ... a very comprehensive review" from Rebecca T. Horvat (University of Kansas Medical Center, USA) writing in Doodys read more ...
"This book is an up-to-date review ... provides both basic information on the caliciviruses and the new experimental data ... The authors have provided important reviews of the current status of research ... a very comprehensive review" from Rebecca T. Horvat (University of Kansas Medical Center, USA) writing in Doodys read more ...
 | Edited by: Grant S. Hansman, Xi Jason Jiang and Kim Y. Green "a very comprehensive review" (Doodys)ISBN: 978-1-904455-63-9 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: April 2010 Cover: hardback |
Herpesviruses and Autophagy
Category: Virology | Immunology
from Philipe A.M. Gobeil and David A. Leib writing in Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology:
Autophagy is a rapidly growing area of biomedical research with broad relevance to fields including microbiology, cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, and neurodegeneration. In infection and immunity, it is emerging as a pivotal pathway mediating direct pathogen degradation as well as for the development of robust innate and adaptive immune responses. Successful pathogens have evolved to either evade or harness the autophagy pathway to further their replication and pathogenesis. In a recent review the basic aspects of autophagy will be described, along with its role in cellular homeostasis, and the development of immunity. The primary focus is a survey of past and recent research defining the interplay of autophagy and the herpesviruses, with particular reference to immune evasion and pathogenesis.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Autophagy is a rapidly growing area of biomedical research with broad relevance to fields including microbiology, cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, and neurodegeneration. In infection and immunity, it is emerging as a pivotal pathway mediating direct pathogen degradation as well as for the development of robust innate and adaptive immune responses. Successful pathogens have evolved to either evade or harness the autophagy pathway to further their replication and pathogenesis. In a recent review the basic aspects of autophagy will be described, along with its role in cellular homeostasis, and the development of immunity. The primary focus is a survey of past and recent research defining the interplay of autophagy and the herpesviruses, with particular reference to immune evasion and pathogenesis.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Molecular Chaperones and Alphaherpesvirus Infection
Category: Virology
from Christine M. Livingston, Christos Kyratsous, Saul Silverstein and Sandra K. Weller writing in Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology:
Molecular chaperone proteins have long been recognized to play diverse and important roles in the life cycles of viruses from bacteriophage to SV40 to herpesviruses. The alphaherpesviruses HSV-1 and VZV not only interact with and reorganize cellular chaperones and co-chaperones but alphaherpesviruses also encode their own molecular chaperones. Cellular chaperones such as Hsp70, Hsc70 and Hsp90 are required for efficient production of infectious virus in that they play essential roles in nuclear transport of viral proteins, protein quality control and maintenance of cellular homeostasis during viral infection. These findings raise the possibility that molecular chaperones could be utilized as effective targets for antiviral therapy. A recent review reviews the evidence that replication of the human alphaherpesviruses herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and 2) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) requires the activities of cellular and viral molecular chaperones.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Molecular chaperone proteins have long been recognized to play diverse and important roles in the life cycles of viruses from bacteriophage to SV40 to herpesviruses. The alphaherpesviruses HSV-1 and VZV not only interact with and reorganize cellular chaperones and co-chaperones but alphaherpesviruses also encode their own molecular chaperones. Cellular chaperones such as Hsp70, Hsc70 and Hsp90 are required for efficient production of infectious virus in that they play essential roles in nuclear transport of viral proteins, protein quality control and maintenance of cellular homeostasis during viral infection. These findings raise the possibility that molecular chaperones could be utilized as effective targets for antiviral therapy. A recent review reviews the evidence that replication of the human alphaherpesviruses herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and 2) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) requires the activities of cellular and viral molecular chaperones.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Subversion of Interferon Responses by Herpesviruses
Category: Virology | Immunology
from Paul T. Sobol and Karen L. Mossman writing in Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology:
Key to the innate immune response to alpha herpesvirus infection is the expression and secretion of type I interferons (IFNs). This family of cytokines bolsters a host offensive to invading pathogens by inducing IFN stimulated genes (ISGs). Not surprisingly, the evolutionary pressure faced by alpha herpesviruses to adapt to the type I IFN response has shaped alpha herpesvirus evolution at the very interface of the virus-host interaction. The cumulative effects of type I IFN expression on alpha herpesvirus replication in vitro and dissemination in vivo are discussed in a recent review, along with mechanisms employed by these viruses to subvert the type I IFN response. Alpha herpesviruses block type I IFN production, inhibit the effects of type I IFN signal transduction and suppress downstream IFN-dependent effector pathways with the aims of augmenting viral replication and dissemination.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Key to the innate immune response to alpha herpesvirus infection is the expression and secretion of type I interferons (IFNs). This family of cytokines bolsters a host offensive to invading pathogens by inducing IFN stimulated genes (ISGs). Not surprisingly, the evolutionary pressure faced by alpha herpesviruses to adapt to the type I IFN response has shaped alpha herpesvirus evolution at the very interface of the virus-host interaction. The cumulative effects of type I IFN expression on alpha herpesvirus replication in vitro and dissemination in vivo are discussed in a recent review, along with mechanisms employed by these viruses to subvert the type I IFN response. Alpha herpesviruses block type I IFN production, inhibit the effects of type I IFN signal transduction and suppress downstream IFN-dependent effector pathways with the aims of augmenting viral replication and dissemination.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Oncolytic HSV Vectors for Cancer Therapy
Category: Virology
from Samuel Rabkin writing in Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology:
Oncolytic HSV (oHSV) virotherapy is a promising new strategy for cancer therapy, converting a human pathogen into a therapeutic agent. This takes advantage of the biology of HSV, by introducing genetic alterations that limit virus replication and cytotoxicity to transformed cancer cells while making the virus non-permissive in normal cells. HSV encodes a large number of genes that are non-essential for growth in tissue culture cells, but are nevertheless important for growth in post-mitotic cells and for interfering with intrinsic antiviral and innate immune responses. Many of the cellular pathways regulating growth and antiviral responses are disrupted in cancer cells, which means that viral gene products allowing replication in normal cells are not necessary in cancer cells. In considering the development of an infectious agent for human use, safety is a critical consideration. Therefore mutations targeting cancer cells must be combined with mutations in genes that play important roles in vivo; causing pathogenicity, spread through the nervous system and other organs, latency and reactivation, and adaptive immune responses. This review will focus more on the virological aspects of oHSV vectors and less on the cancer cell target, and describe the multiple strategies and genes involved in generating oHSV vectors. However, it is important to bear in mind that the effect of different HSV mutations will be highly dependent upon the physiology of the particular type of cancer cell and tumor, and that each oHSV vector will be more effective in some tumor types, so that it is unlikely that any one oHSV will be optimal for all types of cancer.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Oncolytic HSV (oHSV) virotherapy is a promising new strategy for cancer therapy, converting a human pathogen into a therapeutic agent. This takes advantage of the biology of HSV, by introducing genetic alterations that limit virus replication and cytotoxicity to transformed cancer cells while making the virus non-permissive in normal cells. HSV encodes a large number of genes that are non-essential for growth in tissue culture cells, but are nevertheless important for growth in post-mitotic cells and for interfering with intrinsic antiviral and innate immune responses. Many of the cellular pathways regulating growth and antiviral responses are disrupted in cancer cells, which means that viral gene products allowing replication in normal cells are not necessary in cancer cells. In considering the development of an infectious agent for human use, safety is a critical consideration. Therefore mutations targeting cancer cells must be combined with mutations in genes that play important roles in vivo; causing pathogenicity, spread through the nervous system and other organs, latency and reactivation, and adaptive immune responses. This review will focus more on the virological aspects of oHSV vectors and less on the cancer cell target, and describe the multiple strategies and genes involved in generating oHSV vectors. However, it is important to bear in mind that the effect of different HSV mutations will be highly dependent upon the physiology of the particular type of cancer cell and tumor, and that each oHSV vector will be more effective in some tumor types, so that it is unlikely that any one oHSV will be optimal for all types of cancer.
Further reading: Alphaherpesviruses: Molecular Virology
Neisseria book review
I am pleased to provide the following excerpt from a book review of Neisseria: Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis:
"an excellent, comprehensive and updated review ... The editors, both experienced in the Neisseria field, have recruited 43 contributors from five different countries. Many of these individuals are well-recognized experts, front-line researchers and/or key opinion leaders in their topics. They provide, evaluate and discuss detailed up-to-date understanding, the significance of different findings, theories, hypotheses and conclusions, and future directions in a research, clinical and public health perspective. The volume is valuable and timely ... Most chapters ... are excellent, comprehensive, important, updated, well-written, and contain many relevant references and informative figures/tables summarizing the key information ... the 'future trends' are valuably emphasized in most chapters. Some chapters even recommend good web resources for further reading ... the editors of the present volume have collated an impressive group of well-recognized experts that provide exceedingly interesting, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding regarding molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in Neisseria, as well as an excellent bibliography for further reading. The volume is valuable, timely and can be highly recommended for researchers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, vaccine manufacturers and students, who are involved and/ or interested in any topic involving pathogenic Neisseria species." from Magnus Unemo (Orebro, Sweden) writing in Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther. (2010) 8: 871–875. read more ...
"an excellent, comprehensive and updated review ... The editors, both experienced in the Neisseria field, have recruited 43 contributors from five different countries. Many of these individuals are well-recognized experts, front-line researchers and/or key opinion leaders in their topics. They provide, evaluate and discuss detailed up-to-date understanding, the significance of different findings, theories, hypotheses and conclusions, and future directions in a research, clinical and public health perspective. The volume is valuable and timely ... Most chapters ... are excellent, comprehensive, important, updated, well-written, and contain many relevant references and informative figures/tables summarizing the key information ... the 'future trends' are valuably emphasized in most chapters. Some chapters even recommend good web resources for further reading ... the editors of the present volume have collated an impressive group of well-recognized experts that provide exceedingly interesting, comprehensive and up-to-date understanding regarding molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in Neisseria, as well as an excellent bibliography for further reading. The volume is valuable, timely and can be highly recommended for researchers, microbiologists, molecular biologists, epidemiologists, clinicians, vaccine manufacturers and students, who are involved and/ or interested in any topic involving pathogenic Neisseria species." from Magnus Unemo (Orebro, Sweden) writing in Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther. (2010) 8: 871–875. read more ...
 | Edited by: Caroline Genco and Lee Wetzler "excellent, comprehensive ... valuable and timely ... highly recommended" (Expert Rev. Anti Infect. Ther.)ISBN: 978-1-904455-51-6 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: January 2010 Cover: hardback |
Retrovirus book review
I am pleased to provide the following excerpt from a book review of Retroviruses: Molecular Biology, Genomics and Pathogenesis:
"recommendable for life science researchers and all students in biology wishing to learn more about this very interesting field of retrovirology" from Stefan Hockertz (Seelze) writing in Arzneimittelforschung (2010) 60:466-469 read more ...
"recommendable for life science researchers and all students in biology wishing to learn more about this very interesting field of retrovirology" from Stefan Hockertz (Seelze) writing in Arzneimittelforschung (2010) 60:466-469 read more ...
 | Edited by: Reinhard Kurth and Norbert Bannert "recommendable for life science researchers" (Arzneimittelforschung)ISBN: 978-1-904455-55-4 Publisher: Caister Academic Press Publication Date: January 2010 Cover: hardback |