ImmuKnow+

Dr. Katherine Gibson-Corley and graduate student Dr. Rachael Wolters make friendship bracelets and chat about the Translational Pathology Shared Resource (TPSR)...click the image on the left to watch!

SARS-CoV-2 has mutated and evolved to partially evade the immune response generated from prior vaccination or infection. The development of mRNA technology allows for rapid reprogramming of the coding sequence to modify the immune response mounted by the vaccine. Although the long-term trajectory for vaccination recommendations remain unclear, the advanced mRNA vaccine technology allows for the combination and modulation of the targeted sequence to modify the potency of the immune response.... continue reading.

While COVID-19 is no longer plaguing media outlets, the virus remains a serious threat to human health. Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, the virus and its transmissibility evolved. The Omicron variant is the dominant circulating virus that causes COVID-19 in the United States and is capable of evading pre-existing immunity, causing serious public health concern. In fact, the greatest number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations occurred during the first Omicron wave. With high burdens of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza this season, it is important to remain vigilant and take steps to prevent severe COVID-19 illness.....continue reading.

Dr. Kristen Ogden and graduate student Sydni Smith build their own viruses while we asked them some questions about their research...click the image on the left to watch!

Dr. Wenhan Zhu and graduate student Ryan Fansler challenged each other to a pipette race while we asked them some questions about their research...click the image on the left to watch!

Professor Tim Cover and graduate student Chiamaka Okoye show off their artistic talents while we asked them some questions about their research...click the image on the left to watch!

Monkeypox – what do we know about the virus, and how can we treat the disease? The monkeypox virus has been studied, and its mechanism of replicating and invading human cells are understood. Due to prior research on orthopoxviruses, there is a test currently available for diagnosing monkeypox. Additionally, antiviral therapies are currently under investigation. Finally, a monkeypox vaccine is approved and available for individuals at high risk for contracting the virus. While monkeypox treatment options continue to be studied, a variety of medical resources currently exist for high-risk individuals as well as those who were recently exposed to monkeypox.

Professor Borden Lacy and postdoc Shannon Kordus show off their structural expertise with playdough while we asked them some questions about their research.

Monkeypox – symptoms, transmission, and prevention. Since the 1970s, there has been a steady rise in monkeypox virus cases. While the Orthopoxvirus genus is no stranger to the United States, the specific virus responsible for the monkeypox outbreak has largely been found in African countries, until recently. The geographic footprint of the virus and age of those contracting the disease has steadily expanded. While the epidemiology and symptoms associated with monkeypox are complex, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have multiple resources to educate us on the disease progression and modes of transmission.

Uno champions Nowrin Chowdhury and Matt Jenkins challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their graduate student experience....Click the image to the left to watch!