Viral Healthcare

After 2020, the widespread devastation that viral infections can cause is clear to everyone. We know how viruses infect us. We have a good idea of the steps our immune systems take to respond to infection. But there’s still so much we don’t know. While vaccines offer one route to protecting the population, it’s not enough. By learning how to boost immune responses, we can rapidly respond to viral mutations and potentially even treat currently incurable viral infections.

Phages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. Because of this, phages are being tested as alternatives to antibiotics. Joe's group has isolated phages that may help treat cancers, gum disease, and diabetic foot ulcers. But how safe are these viruses as medicines? This talk will seek to answer this question.