The Viral Talk Federico De Angelis

This is ‘Ask a professional’, the format of the
Viral Talk where the focus is on the science but most importantly the PERSON behind the science. From insect-borne viruses to SARS-CoV-2, we’re going to interview experts from the UK and the world on their research and then we’re
going to talk about their career, future prospects and tips for younger generations of future scientists. In this episode Federico interviews Dr Chris Hill, group leader at the Department of Biology of the University of York. In this episode we're gonna talk about discovering that the tooth fairy is not real, looking at single molecules down the microscope and the pervasiveness of Imposter Syndrome among young researchers.



For the sciency people:

How do some viruses manage to pack more information than physically possible - 10.1146/annurev-virology-111821-120646



How viruses hijack our protein production machinery - doi: 10.1083/jcb.200205044



The wonderful bioimaging facilities at the University of York https://www.york.ac.uk/research/themes/technologies-for-the-future/bioimaging/#:~:text=Researchers%20at%20York%20have%20developed,more%20about%20Resonant%20Hyperspectral%20Imaging.



Imposter syndrome and how big of a problem it is - https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/women-and-early-career-academics-experience-imposter-syndrome-fields-emphasise



Who is Chris Hill- https://www.hill-lab.co.uk/pi



Follow Chris on X - https://twitter.com/chillzaa



Follow the Viral Talk on IG - https://www.instagram.com/the_viral_talk_/



On Twitter - https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk

And Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/

 

This is the first SPECIAL episode of The Viral Talk. It was recorded in Liverpool at the UK-International Coronavirus Network Early Career Researchers symposium.



The Viral Talk team was invited to take part to a fantastic initiative organized by the UK-ICN to encourage young scientists to share knowledge, hopes, dreams and to network in Liverpool on the 1st of March 2024.



Three early career researchers were chosen to come on the show and talk about their experience, their projects, and their hopes for the future. The guests were:

-Bobbie-Anne Turner, a third year PhD student at the University of Liverpool in Prof. Julian Hiscox lab, trying to identify which cellular proteins bind and interact with a specific structural protein of many human coronaviruses.

-Carla Ruiz, a first year PhD student from IRTA CReSA (Barcelona) trying to establish a model organism for 'Long' COVID-19



-Nuno Santos, a postdoc at the Francis Crick Insitute in Dr David Bauer lab studying the evolution of coronaviruses and the way their genetic code (RNA) changes.



What is the UK-ICN?

https://uk-icn.co.uk/



Who are the speakers?

Bobbie-Anne Turner - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/bobbie-anne-turner



Carla Ruiz - https://es.linkedin.com/in/carla-ruiz-casas-92a0971a1?trk=people-guest_people_search-card



Nuno Santos - https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/find-a-researcher/nuno-santos



Follow the viral talk on X - https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk

On Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_viral_talk_/

On Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/

This is ‘Ask a professional’, the format of the
Viral Talk where the focus is on the science but most importantly the PERSON behind the science. From insect-borne viruses to SARS-CoV-2, we’re going to interview experts from the UK and the world on their research and then we’re
going to talk about their career, future prospects and tips for younger generations of future scientists. In this episode Federico interviews Dr Ed Emmot, group leader at the Centre for Proteomics Research at the Universty of Liverpool. In this episode we're gonna talk about proteins that cut other proteins, how viruses can benefit from that and the importance of finding your niche.



For the sciency people:

The role of proteolysis in SARS-CoV-2 infection - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25796-w





Book chapter on the proteomics of viruses - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444519801500173#:~:text=sensitivity%20and%20fidelity.-,Proteomics%20is%20a%20promising%20approach%20for%20the%20study%20of%20viruses,disease%2C%20and%20accelerates%20drug%20development



A simple overview on the concept of proteolysis - https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/An-Overview-of-Proteolysis.aspx



Who is Ed Emmot - https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology/staff/edward-emmott/publications/



Follow the Viral Talk on IG - https://www.instagram.com/the_viral_talk_/



On Twitter - https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk

And Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/

 

How were viruses discovered? Who are the pioneers behind the establishment of virology as a branch of biology? This and much more in this episode of The Viral Talk.



Key takeaways:

- The first virus to ever be observed was the Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and it was discovered thanks the invention of the Chamberland filter.

- The first mammal virus to be discovered was the Food and Mouth Disease virus, which is a very economically important virus that infects cloven-hoofed viruses. It was discovered by two german bacteriologists called Friedrich Loeffler and Paul Frosch.

- The first ever human virus to be discovered was Yellow Fever virus, and its history is strongly intertwined with the history of Cuba and the opening of the Panama Canal.

- The word 'virus' (from the latin word for 'poison') already existed before the identification of viruses as a biological entities, but it was used to
describe any cause of infectious disease.



For the most interested:

10.1016/B978-0-12-375156-0.00001-1 - History and Impact of Virology article



PMID: 12523707



doi:10.3201/eid1201.050979

The role of microscopy in modern science -  doi: 10.1098/rsob.150019


Follow the Viral Talk on IG - https://www.instagram.com/the_viral_talk_/



On Twitter - https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk

And Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/

 

This is ‘Ask a professional’, the format of the
Viral Talk where the focus is on the science but most importantly the PERSON behind the science. From insect-borne viruses to SARS-CoV-2, we’re going to interview experts from the UK and the world on their research and then we’re
going to talk about their career, future prospects and tips for younger generations of future scientists. In this episode Federico interviews Dr Vanessa Herder, pathobiologist at the Centre for Virus Research at the Universty of Glasgow. In this episode we’re going to talk about looking at tissues to understand how viruses can cause disease, having the courage to change career paths and loving what we do.

 

For the sciency people:

SARS-CoV-2 in cats - doi: 10.1002/vetr.247. Epub 2021 Apr 22.



Review on pathology due to virus infection - 10.1016/B978-0-12-375156-0.00007-2



Who si Vanessa? https://www.vanessa-herder.com/ 

What does her work focus on? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMNfWYs4t4&ab_channel=VanessaHerder

Vanessa's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaherder/



Follow The Viral Talk on X (formerly Twitter) –
⁠https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk⁠  

On IG – @the_viral_talk_  

On Linkedin
–https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/

Leave a Review of the episode on Podchaser.com
- ⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-viral-talk-5094049⁠

What are the ways in which our bodies protect us from viral infections? Is it easy for a virus to establish an infection? This and much more in this episode of The Viral Talk.

 

Key takeaways:


There are very few ways in which a virus can manage to infect us, and all of them require to surpass the skin in some way, such as getting through cuts, through the mouth, the nose, the eyes or the reproductive organs;
There are multiple physical and chemical barriers that prevent viruses from infecting us all the time at each of the vulnerable sites;
These include pH, presence of mucus to trap invaders, various enzymes that degrade proteins and even our microbiota (aka the bacteria living in us);
The gut has also regions filled with immune cells that scan the environment and activate the immune response if they detect a viral infection going on;
In addition, most cells (not just immune cells) are capable of producing a set of molecules called Interferons;
Interferons are the master molecules that have evolved to specifically counter viral infections, and are produced when a cell recognises that it has been infected;
Interferons also act as signals that alert other, non-infected cells that there are invaders;
Interferons also activate the process of inflammation, which brings at the point of infection other immune cells, so that the adaptive immune response can start;



Articles for the most interested:

Physical barriers to infection - https://teachmephysiology.com/immune-system/innate-immune-system/barriers-to-infection/

Review on interferons - https://www.nature.com/articles/nri3787

How does the immune system works? - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zyxg7p3/revision/2


Follow the Viral Talk on IG - https://www.instagram.com/the_viral_talk_/



On Twitter - https://twitter.com/The_Viral_Talk

And Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-viral-talk/