GIVE to Unconventional Wisdom: Spotting HIV in the Blood

Deborah Paul
A mysterious ailment struck Deborah Paul’s younger brother, Tim, in 1982, when lymph glands all over his body suddenly became swollen. He recovered, but it took two years for doctors to finally figure out what had triggered the problem. In 1984, Paul’s brother developed pneumocystis pneumonia—a...

The Changing Shape of HIV

Model of HIV
The Procko lab applies big data tools to molecular biochemistry.Their goal: a better understanding of how we might fight HIV-1.

Study tracks COVID-19 infection dynamics in adults

SHIELD Team workers assist students, staff and faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign take a saliva-based COVID-19 test that was developed at the U. of I. as a way to detect cases of COVID-19 early and prevent community spread. Unlike conventional nasal testing, saliva samples are collected non-invasively, without the need for healthcare workers and with minimal use of PPE.
A team led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tracked the rise and fall of SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva and nasal cavities of people newly infected with the virus. The study was the first to follow acute COVID-19 infections over time through repeated sampling and to compare...

Machine-learning model can distinguish antibody targets

Different antibodies (green, aqua, pink) attack different parts of the SARS-CoV-2 viral particle (yellow/orange sphere). The virus’s spike proteins (purple) are a key antibody target, with some antibodies attaching to the top (darker purple) and others to the stem (paler zone). Graphic by Yiquan Wang
A new study from the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology shows that it is possible to use the genetic sequences of a person’s antibodies to predict what pathogens those antibodies will target. Reported in the journal Immunity, the new approach successfully differentiates between antibodies...

Meet MCB: Microbiology professor Paola Mera

Paola Mera smiles for headshot outside with a background of trees.
The Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute spotlights microbiology assistant professor Paola Mera and shares how she discovered her passion for research. Mera's research aims at filling the gaps in knowledge to control the life cycle of bacteria so that they can design better ways to enhance...

Frequent COVID-19 testing key to efficient, early detection, study finds

Student spits into funnel tube for saliva sample collection.
The chance of detecting the virus that causes COVID-19 increases with more frequent testing, no matter the type of test, a new study found. Both polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests, paired with rapid results reporting, can achieve 98% sensitivity if deployed at least every three days.