Viruses under the Mathematical Microscope: Deciphering the Code of Viral Geometry
Viruses, such as hepatitis and the common cold, have highly ordered protein containers that encapsulate the viral genomic material. They act as Trojan horses, transporting the genomic material inside a cell to hijack the cellular mechanism and produce new viruses. Insights in how these capsids are organised are key to understanding how viruses work and how they can be defeated. In this talk, Reidun Twarock will explore virus architecture under the mathematical microscope. We will show that symmetry plays a key role for virus structure, and that mathematical tools similar to those used in the study of Penrose tilings provide novel insights that shed new light on viral evolution and on how viruses infect their hosts.
Reidun Twarock is Professor of Mathematical Biology at the University of York. She was a keynote speaker at the 2007 BA Festival of Science, and LMS Public lecturer in 2008.
Computational biology and cancer research at Dana-Farber
John Quackenbush, PhD, describes his work in biostatistics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and explains how computational biology can help researchers understand how diseases such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer develop and react to treatment.
Using Viruses to Kill Cancer Cells
Viruses to the rescue? We often have the misconception that viruses are only nasty little things that can make us sick. Join Marianne Stanford in an exploration of how viruses can be used to help fight cancer. One new anti-cancer strategy which holds promise is the use of self-replicating viral strains with the ability to specifically kill tumour, but not normal cells. These so-called "oncolytic viruses" are able to exploit tumour-specific genetic defects to gain a growth advantage. Learn about the types of genetic mutations that we now know exist in tumours, and how these viruses can be used to target and kill cancer cells.
http://www.sciencetech.technomuses.ca
Recorded during the Biotechnology Lecture Series 2009 at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
Dr David Kirn on developments in oncolytic virotherapy for cancer
Nick Lemoine & Joe Glorioso, Editors of Gene Therapy, the Nature Specialist Journal interviewed a series of leading scientists presenting exciting results at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy in Seattle in May 2011. Here David Kirn talks about developments in oncolytic virotherapy for cancer.Hosted on the Barts Cancer Institute Channel on behalf of Gene Therapy, Nature Specialist Journal
Web links.
Gene Therapy, Nature Specialist Journal: http://www.nature.com/gt/index.html
Society of Gene and cell therapy: http://www.asgct.org
Cancer Institute: http://www.bci.qmul.ac.uk
Oncolytic Virotherapy for Cancer
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