Viruses

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, unlike bacteria, viruses do not simply 'graze' on the body but rather invade it, commandeering the cells and turning them into factories for virus production. The author describes the work of Sir Anthony Epstein, a virologist, who discovered that only when cells grow outside the body and away from immune systems can the whole virus particles be seen. The paper relates that, today, in a new technique called viro-therapy, scientists are genetically engineering viruses, which will actually hunt down cancer cells and destroy them.

From the Paper:

"Until 1903, heated debates raged over these 'invisible microbes. Then a scientist named Pierre Roux described these microbes as 'filterable viruses' that could not be seen under a light microscope and would not grow on bacterial culture plates. For the next three decades, these viruses were thought of as small bacteria. By 1930, scientists began to gain an understanding of viruses. But, scientists were still puzzled by the viruses' methods of infection and their process of reproduction. In 1938, with the invention of the electron microscope viruses could finally be seen. Finally, the structures and symmetries of viruses could be studied in great detail."

More papers on Viruses:

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• Research Paper # 72021 : "Computer Viruses: New Threats, New Defenses"
• Research Paper # 70415 : "From Bacteria to Viruses"

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