1. Virology under the Microscope-a Call for Rational Discourse.
- Author
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Goodrum, Felicia, Lowen, Anice C, Lakdawala, Seema, Alwine, James, Casadevall, Arturo, Imperiale, Michael J, Atwood, Walter, Avgousti, Daphne, Baines, Joel, Banfield, Bruce, Banks, Lawrence, Bhaduri-McIntosh, Sumita, Bhattacharya, Deepta, Blanco-Melo, Daniel, Bloom, David, Boon, Adrianus, Boulant, Steeve, Brandt, Curtis, Broadbent, Andrew, Brooke, Christopher, Cameron, Craig, Campos, Samuel, Caposio, Patrizia, Chan, Gary, Cliffe, Anna, Coffin, John, Collins, Kathleen, Damania, Blossom, Daugherty, Matthew, Debbink, Kari, DeCaprio, James, Dermody, Terence, Dikeakos, Jimmy, DiMaio, Daniel, Dinglasan, Rhoel, Duprex, W Paul, Dutch, Rebecca, Elde, Nels, Emerman, Michael, Enquist, Lynn, Fane, Bentley, Fernandez-Sesma, Ana, Flenniken, Michelle, Frappier, Lori, Frieman, Matthew, Frueh, Klaus, Gack, Michaela, Gaglia, Marta, Gallagher, Tom, Galloway, Denise, García-Sastre, Adolfo, Geballe, Adam, Glaunsinger, Britt, Goff, Stephen, Greninger, Alexander, Hancock, Meaghan, Harris, Eva, Heaton, Nicholas, Heise, Mark, Heldwein, Ekaterina, Hogue, Brenda, Horner, Stacy, Hutchinson, Edward, Hyser, Joseph, Jackson, William, Kalejta, Robert, Kamil, Jeremy, Karst, Stephanie, Kirchhoff, Frank, Knipe, David, Kowalik, Timothy, Lagunoff, Michael, Laimins, Laimonis, Langlois, Ryan, Lauring, Adam, Lee, Benhur, Leib, David, Liu, Shan-Lu, Longnecker, Richard, Lopez, Carolina, Luftig, Micah, Lund, Jennifer, Manicassamy, Balaji, McFadden, Grant, McIntosh, Michael, Mehle, Andrew, Miller, W Allen, Mohr, Ian, Moody, Cary, Moorman, Nathaniel, Moscona, Anne, Mounce, Bryan, Munger, Joshua, Münger, Karl, Murphy, Eain, Naghavi, Mojgan, Nelson, Jay, Neufeldt, Christopher, Nikolich, Janko, and O'Connor, Christine
- Subjects
COVID-19 ,Coronavirus ,DURC ,Gain of function ,SARS-CoV-2 ,biosafety ,influenza ,pandemic ,vaccines ,zoonosis ,Infectious Diseases ,Prevention ,Vaccine Related ,Immunization ,Infection ,Good Health and Well Being ,Biological Sciences ,Medical and Health Sciences ,Microbiology - Abstract
Viruses have brought humanity many challenges: respiratory infection, cancer, neurological impairment and immunosuppression to name a few. Virology research over the last 60+ years has responded to reduce this disease burden with vaccines and antivirals. Despite this long history, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented attention to the field of virology. Some of this attention is focused on concern about the safe conduct of research with human pathogens. A small but vocal group of individuals has seized upon these concerns - conflating legitimate questions about safely conducting virus-related research with uncertainties over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The result has fueled public confusion and, in many instances, ill-informed condemnation of virology. With this article, we seek to promote a return to rational discourse. We explain the use of gain-of-function approaches in science, discuss the possible origins of SARS-CoV-2 and outline current regulatory structures that provide oversight for virological research in the United States. By offering our expertise, we - a broad group of working virologists - seek to aid policy makers in navigating these controversial issues. Balanced, evidence-based discourse is essential to addressing public concern while maintaining and expanding much-needed research in virology.
- Published
- 2023