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CViSB year in review CViSB workshopNews

CViSB year in review

The first year of CViSB has been a busy one. Receiving the NIH grant in February, 2018 prompted the onboarding of new scientists, research trips to West Africa, and a myriad of planning and coordination meetings. Samples from over 250 Lassa and Ebola patients were collected during trips to Kenema Government Hospital (KGH). The samples will be used to generate…
May 21, 2019
CViSB workshop cvisb workshopNews

CViSB workshop

Together with Marc Suchard from UCLA, we’re pleased to host the upcoming CViSB “Systems Biology of Infectious Disease” workshop February 20-22, 2019 in La Jolla, CA. Those wanting to learn more about genomics and phylogenetic methods to analyze infectious diseases will not want to miss it! (more…)
December 10, 2018
Ebola antibody research Cell abstractPublications

Ebola antibody research

In two papers published in Cell and Cell Host Microbe together with our collaborators at VIC, CViSB, and VHFC we describe in detail antibody responses to Ebola virus. By systematic analysis of a large set of more than 170 monoclonal antibodies to Ebola virus, we investigated which immunological features play key roles in protection against the virus. This was our first…
August 10, 2018
Hidden Zika outbreak figure 3Data

Hidden Zika outbreak

Summary: Using local and travel-associated case reporting from American and European public health systems, we identified an unreported Zika outbreak in Cuba during 2017. Virus sequencing from travelers revealed that the Zika outbreak in Cuba was sparked by multiple introductions of the virus from elsewhere in the Caribbean and Central America during 2016 that persisted into 2017. The recent Zika virus…
July 3, 2018
Pandemics: Focus on surveillance holmes nature commentaryPublications

Pandemics: Focus on surveillance

Over the past 15 years, outbreaks caused by viruses such as Ebola, SARS, and Zika have cost governments billions of US dollars. Combined with a perception among scientists, health workers and citizens that responses to outbreaks have been inadequate, this has fueled what seems like a compelling idea. Namely, that if researchers can identify the next pandemic virus before the…
June 11, 2018
Malaria paper in Cell Cell abstractPublications

Malaria paper in Cell

Hereditary xerocytosis is thought to be a rare genetic condition characterized by red blood cell (RBC) dehydration with mild hemolysis. RBC dehydration is linked to reduced Plasmodium infection in vitro; however, the role of RBC dehydration in protection against malaria in vivo is unknown. Most cases of hereditary xerocytosis are associated with gain-of-function mutations in PIEZO1, a mechanically activated ion channel. We…
April 12, 2018
Zika genomics commentary in Cell Cell abstractPublications

Zika genomics commentary in Cell

The emergence and spread of Zika virus in the Americas continues to challenge our disease surveillance systems. Virus genome sequencing during the epidemic uncovered the timescale of Zika virus transmission and spread. Yet, we are only beginning to explore how genomics can enhance our responses to emerging viruses. Together with our colleagues Nuno Faria and Oliver Pybus at the University…
March 12, 2018
CViSB established cvisbPress Releases

CViSB established

Scripps Research scientists receive $15 million to study viral outbreak survivors. With a new $15 million grant, scientists at Scripps Research are gearing up for an in-depth study of survivors of viral outbreaks. The grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases will support the efforts of the Scripps Research-led Center for Viral Systems…
February 15, 2018