Virology Lectures

Via virology.ws -

Each year I teach basic virology to medical, dental, and nursing students here at Columbia University Medical Center. Here are videocasts of my three lectures for 2009: Introduction to Virology I and II, and Viral Pathogenesis.

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I just finished the second virology intro video. Dr. Racaniello makes a point to focus on influenza in several sections, which is really cool.

For example, the cell receptor for influenza is sialic acid (SA). During budding, the newly created virons would normally stick to the outside of the cell (again by connecting to SA), but NA is used to counter this connection by stripping SA off the outside of the cell.

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and Zanamivir (Relenza) are neuraminidase inhibitors which bind with SA and stop NA from stripping it off, causing the newly created flu viron to stick the the outside of the cell....thus stopping the spread of the virus.