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Monkeypox – symptoms, transmission, and prevention. Since the 1970s, there has been a steady rise in monkeypox virus cases. While the Orthopoxvirus genus is no stranger to the United States, the specific virus responsible for the monkeypox outbreak has largely been found in African countries, until recently. The geographic footprint of the virus and age of those contracting the disease has steadily expanded. While the epidemiology and symptoms associated with monkeypox are complex, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have multiple resources to educate us on the disease progression and modes of transmission.

Uno champions Nowrin Chowdhury and Matt Jenkins challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their graduate student experience....Click the image to the left to watch!

Dr. Danyvid Olivares-Villagómez and graduate student Kathleen McClanahan show off their paper snowflake-making abilities while we asked them some questions about their research... Click the image to the left to watch!

FDA Approval of Vaccines and EUA - All vaccines distributed in the USA are under regulation of the FDA. There is a Standard Process that researchers will use to go through clinical trials and vaccine approval. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA utilized a Fast-Track method that helped vaccines be tested more quickly without compromising on safety goals. Additionally, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA also was granting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) so that the vaccines could be administered to the public more quickly. It’s important to note that the FDA was working on modernizing clinical trials, including creating guidance for adaptive designs, back in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic created the need for this “fast-track” to be implemented.... Click the image to the left to continue reading.

Dr. Brent Ferrell and graduate student Matt Jenkins challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their research... Click the image to the left to watch!

Dr. Justin Balko and graduate student Brandie Taylor challenged each other to a pipette race while we asked them some questions about their research.

Dr. Dawn Newcomb and graduate student Nowrin Chowdhury challenged each other to a game of Uno while we asked them some questions about their research.... Click the image to the left to watch!

We sat down with Dr. Robert Carnahan from the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center to talk about antibody therapeutics and how they can be used in the fight against COVID-19... Click the image to the left to watch!

The mRNA vaccine is a new type of vaccine that allows your body to trigger an immune response without using the actual germ to train your immune system. Instead, it trains your immune response using a piece of the virus and will later protect you from getting infected/sick if you encounter the actual virus. Since it is new, here is a list of the generalized ingredients for the mRNA vaccines currently available in the US.... Click the image on the left to learn more!

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected our lives since its emergence in December 2019 and urged the development of therapeutics and prophylactics to combat the disease. Masks, sanitizers, and social distancing have become the new normal. Although we are taking baby steps towards a COVID-free world, thousands of people are still getting infected worldwide. At the time of writing this, over 4.8 million people have died worldwide after infection with the deadly virus. COVID-19 is a complex disease. While most individuals recover after mild to manageable symptoms, a significant fraction of people developed serious complications which require hospitalization and ventilation and often progress to multiorgan failure and death... Click the image to the left to continue reading.