News: Infectious Diseases

Read the latest news from the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin

UT News

Cytomegalovirus Breakthrough Could Lead to New Treatments

A new antibody design blocks cytomegalovirus from hiding from the immune system and could lead to safer, more effective treatments for vulnerable patients.

A woman in a lab coat and goggles connects a plastic tube to a piece of laboratory equipment laden with wires.

Research

AI Tips Off Scientists to New Drug Target to Fight Monkeypox Virus

The breakthrough could be used in a new vaccine or antibody therapy to fight mpox, the disease caused by the monkeypox virus.

Structure of a surface protein on the monkeypox virus

Research

A New Tool for Healthcare Gives Better Outbreak Forecasts

Pinpointing an outbreak’s peak, the approach can boost health systems’ preparedness and risk communication.

A graph shows a line curving up to a peak and then decaying away

Research

New Gene-Editing Tech Holds Promise for Treating Complex Genetic Diseases

Advanced biotechnology repurposes two bacterial immune systems to correct large stretches of DNA.

A microscope image shows human cells. There are two blue spheres in the center, surrounded by a green structure, with orange dots scattered around the green structure.

Accolades

Virus Slayer Awarded ‘Genius Grant’ by MacArthur Foundation

The award recognizes Jason McLellan’s work to investigate how viruses infect our cells and to develop new treatments for infectious disease.

Portrait of Jason McLellan in a suit, standing in front of three-dimensional displays of proteins

Accolades

Three UT Austin Faculty Members Selected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Ken Keiler studies basic molecular biology with the aim of developing new antibiotics.

Headshots of three scientists

Research

Research Identifies Key Antibodies for Development of Broadly Protective Norovirus Vaccine

Discovery brings us one step closer to vaccine and treatment for prevalent virus.

image of norovirus. cluster of blue circles on tan background

Announcements

UT Vaccine Scientist Will Be Inducted Into National Inventors Hall of Fame

McLellan, who will be inducted in Washington, D.C. on May 8, is among the youngest new inductees in hall of fame history.

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Features

Preparing for Future Outbreaks, Experts Use Disease Simulation Exercise

Public health officials and researchers gathered this month for a gamified version of an outbreak investigation.

Two men at a table in a conference room setting peer down at pieces of a game, with network details and information sheets.

Research

Newly Discovered Antimicrobial Could Prevent or Treat Cholera

Natural antimicrobials called microcins are produced by bacteria in the gut and show promise in fighting infection.

There are two images side-by-side. In the image on the left, a dark ring separates a blue disk in the middle from a field of grey surrounding the disk. The image on the right is similar, except there is no dark ring.