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Monday, 10 June 2013 09:56

U.S. grant $ 18 million for the study of viruses.

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13338 influenzaIn an attempt to better understand why some viruses like influenza, Ebola and West Nile virus so lethal, a team of U.S. researchers believe to model the response of the body to viral pathogens.

The study, which will be led by Yoshiro Kavaoka - professor of patho-biological sciences and an expert on influenza and Ebola viruses from Washington University, will be funded with 18.3 million dollars from the National Institutes of Health USA. Its purpose is to study the detailed molecular mechanisms of infection of the cell, the cell response to a virus, and the interaction - host.

U.S. government - the main source of funding for the entire project, hopes all this lead to the creation of a new generation of antiviral drugs against some of the most dangerous pathogens. This is extremely important because against Ebola and West Nile virus are currently no approved drugs and those against influenza quickly lose their effectiveness.

The design of the test involves the measurement of a wide variety of parameters - such as specific to the virus and those specific to the host. Measurements will be made using the so-called. high-screened, wherein the complex machinery made ​​thousand measurements per second.

Advantage of study of three different pathogens - influenza viruses, and Ebola WNV is that they have different target cells and organs in the body. This systematic approach allows identification of common and different pathways and mediators in the course of various infections. Common mediators are potential targets for future broad products, i.e. those having efficacy against a number of pathogens. Unique key for an infection metabolites target for future narrow-spectrum drugs.

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