All Baylor College of Medicine articles
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NewsResearchers discover highly potent compound that blocks Ebola virus entry
A research team has discovered a highly potent small molecule that blocks Ebola virus entry by stabilizing the virus’s entry protein and provides strong protection when given orally in a preclinical model. It is more than 100 times more potent than previously reported Ebola entry inhibitors.
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NewsElephant vaccine shows first signs of protection against deadly virus
Scientists have published the first peer-reviewed evidence that an experimental mRNA vaccine may help protect young Asian elephants from elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, one of the deadliest diseases facing the species.
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NewsWastewater analysis offers a new way to monitor HIV in communities
Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) detection in wastewater offers a novel approach to monitor the virus in communities. Hybrid-capture genetic sequencing allows researchers to analyze viral genomes in detail and specifically identify viral signals coming from community wastewater.
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NewsNP14 aptamer: A novel biosensing recognition element for mutation-resilient SARS-CoV-2 detection
New research investigated a novel DNA aptamer, NP14, and developed an innovative dual-mode biosensing platform to achieve highly sensitive, mutation-resilient viral detection.
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NewsStudy is first to detect and track multiple cancer-causing viruses in wastewater
A study is the first comprehensive approach to detect all known cancer-causing or oncogenic viruses concurrently by analyzing viral genomes in wastewater. The work shows that it is feasible to monitor the presence and levels of cancer-causing viruses, enabling the possibility of public health interventions in the future.
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NewsNew insights into how bacteria manage DNA
New analytical methods have enabled researchers to uncover how the sequence, physical shape and flexibility of bacterial DNA guide the activity of an enzyme called DNA gyrase, which previously got all the credit for managing DNA.
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NewsEngineered dual-bacterial sensors turn chemical signals into electricity
Most bacterial information transmission is done via electricity. While electricity-emitting bacteria exist, manipulating them into useful sensors has been quite challenging. Researchers recently developed a flexible bioelectrical sensor system called electroactive co-culture sensing system.
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NewsWeaning, more than a change of food: It shapes a life-long, healthy gut
According to a team of researchers, weaning or switching from milk to solid food in early life doesn’t just change what babies eat, it helps reprogram the gut’s immune defenses to mount faster and stronger responses that can last into adulthood.
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NewsBreakthrough in human norovirus research: Researchers overcome major obstacle to grow and study the virus
Researchers have overcome a major obstacle that limited their ability to continuously grow human norovirus. They identified factors that restrict viral replication and developed a way to overcome them to optimize long-term viral cultivation.
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NewsHuman ‘mini-noses’ help understand why RSV infections are more severe in children than in adults
Why does RSV affect babies more severely? To better understand the cellular reasons behind this age-related difference, researchers compared infant and adult human nose organoids, also called mini-noses, regarding their susceptibility and response to infection.
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NewsSome human GII.4 norovirus are better than others at infecting cells; researchers have found out why
A study reveals that human GII.4 noroviruses have evolved a uniquely potent entry mechanism with clear strain-specific differences. The findings open new possibilities for identifying the elusive human norovirus receptor as well as developing vaccines and treatments.
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NewsHow the common fungus Candida albicans colonizes the gut
Researchers have discovered unexpected factors that help the fungus Candida albicans settle and persist in the gut. The findings expand our knowledge of the fungus-gut interactions and offer potential solutions to reduce colonization.
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NewsMeasles virus detected in Houston wastewater before cases were reported
An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were reported.
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NewsMeasles may be making a comeback in the US, research finds
If immunization rates drop further over a prolonged period of time, measles and even other wiped-out diseases — such as rubella and polio — could one day make a comeback in the United States, according to a new study.
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NewsAlternative approach to Lyme disease vaccine development shows promise in pre-clinical models
An international research team finds genetically engineered Lyme bacterial proteins could offer long-standing protection against infection while requiring fewer vaccinations.
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NewsLong COVID could be causing huge economic burden annually
Behind the healthcare burden from long COVID, a study has also uncovered the economic burden of those who are more likely to suffer from long COVID through a computer simulation model of long COVID probabilities and the accompanied productivity loss.
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NewsTunnel-building virus: How Zika transmits from mother to fetus
For the first time, researchers demonstrated the component involved in the tunneling nanotubes built by Zika virus to infect placental cells, an infection mechanism which is unique to the Zika virus alone.
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NewsNew insights into phage–bacteria interactions in the gut microbiome
Researchers studied the interactions between bacteria and phages within the gut microbiome and highlighted the significance of the phage community to shape the microbiome that contributes to host health and diseases.
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NewsStealth virus: Zika virus builds tunnels to covertly infect cells of the placenta
Researchers have discovered that Zika virus in the placenta builds underground tunnels, a series of tiny tubes called tunneling nanotubes, that facilitate the transfer of viral particles to neighboring uninfected cells.
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NewsNIH awards $20.6 million grant to establish Human Virome Characterization Center at UCLA
NIH has awarded a $20.6 million grant over five years to establish one of five Human Virome Characterization Centers to advance understanding of the virome’s role in human health and disease across the oral-gut-brain axis.