Viral contributions to evolution, genetic exchange, and ecology
Around 8% of the human genome consists of sequences derived from ancient retroviruses – infections that became permanently embedded in our ancestors’ DNA millions of years ago. Most of these have since degraded or been silenced. But some have been repurposed,...
Hacking Evolution: Reprogramming Viruses into Medicines
Strip a virus of its pathogenic genes, replace them with therapeutic ones, and you have a delivery system evolution spent millions of years perfecting. A single injection that rewrites cellular instructions to correct a genetic disease, target cancer, or prime...
When Viruses Don’t Leave: The Science of Post-Viral Syndromes
Viral RNA clears from the bloodstream, antibodies stabilize, yet symptoms continue. This persistence despite apparent viral clearance has challenged clinicians for decades. Recent research into viral reservoirs, immune dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction is...
Metagenomics Unveils Viral Biodiversity
A virus infected a microbe on a Tibetan glacier 40,000 years ago, then froze in place. When scientists thawed the ice in 2024, they sequenced that viral genome along with 1,704 others, and most bore no resemblance to known viruses. These ancient genetic archives are...Page 2 of 33