How an Alberta researcher’s discovery of hepatitis C led to the Nobel Prize and saved lives

Hepatitis C led to an estimated 400,000 deaths in 2016. (Shutterstock) John Bergeron, McGill University This year, the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to virologists Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice and biochemist Michael Houghton for the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. This recognition is yet a further testimonial of the need for discovery research …

One small part of a human antibody has the potential to work as a drug for both prevention and therapy of COVID-19

This antibody adopts a Y-shape. The arms of the Y make up the part of the antibody that binds to the target. ALFRED PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Dimiter Stanchev Dimitrov, University of Pittsburgh Although a vaccine could be the ultimate solution to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and stop future ones, it will not be 100% effective. If it is anything like …

COVID-19 vaccines: Open source licensing could keep Big Pharma from making huge profits off taxpayer-funded research

How many vaccines will be needed to vaccinate the world against COVID-19? Tetra Images/Getty Images

<figure> <img src=”https://images.theconversation.com/files/357982/original/file-20200914-18-qfqjei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=71%2C26%2C5911%2C4126&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip” /> <figcaption> How many vaccines will be needed to vaccinate the world against COVID-19? <a class=”source” href=”https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/covid-19-vaccine-with-world-map-in-background-royalty-free-image/1248797862?adppopup=true”>Tetra Images/Getty Images</a> </figcaption> </figure> <a href=”https://theconversation.com/profiles/charles-m-schweik-1107510″>Charles M Schweik</a>, <a href=”https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-massachusetts-amherst-1563″>University of Massachusetts Amherst</a> and <a href=”https://theconversation.com/profiles/timothy-ford-1154482″>Timothy Ford</a>, <a href=”https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-massachusetts-lowell-1534″>University of Massachusetts Lowell</a> An international, multi-billion-dollar race is underway to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, and progress is <a href=”https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/08/health/coronavirus-vaccine-race-intl/”>moving at …

My new life as a coronavirus tester – a scientist’s story

RossHelen/Shutterstock Tobias Wauer, University of Cambridge It was March 2020, and my plans to start a new cancer research project in Boston were called off for the same reason everything else was grinding to a halt: coronavirus. Facing indeterminate months confined to my sofa, I signed up to a call for scientist volunteers circulated by the University of Cambridge. The …

Coronavirus: it is morally indefensible for a nation to keep life-saving drugs for itself

Graham Dutfield, University of Leeds The world eagerly awaits new vaccines and drugs to combat COVID-19. To deal with a global pandemic, the production of new treatments needs to be scaled up towards supplying the whole world – and as quickly as possible. Borderless open and collaborative science and the free exchange of knowledge and data will get us to …