Defending against viruses is quite tough. Vaccines work by “teaching” our immune system to recognize a specific virus so it can mount an effective immune response. Another approach is the use of antivirals, which prevent viruses from replicating and can be used to treat a current infection. In a new study published in Nature Microbiology, microbiologist Jan Carette of Stanford University his colleagues have found a human gene that produces a protein without which a range of enteroviruses cannot replicate. The work could pave the way for antivirals effective against multiple illnesses—including most cases of the common cold.
William Henry Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, author, philanthropist, and humanitarian. He is best known as the principal founder of Microsoft Corporation.
