Remnants of ancient viral pandemics in the form of viral DNA sequences embedded in our genomes are still active in healthy people, according to new research my colleagues and I recently published.

Human DNA in its natural state inside cells (left) compared to eight hours after being infected with HSV-1 (right). The virus compacts the human genome’s size significantly and moves it towards the ...

How can a virus with only five proteins dominate a human cell that contains thousands? This question has long puzzled ...

Research shows synthetic chromosomes can be transferred to human cells with potential to improve viral resistance ...

In the field of biomedicine and public health, continuous viral mutation and evolution may enable viruses to cross species ...

Ancient viruses are embedded everywhere in the human genome. Estimates range, but it's thought that about eight percent of the human genome could be made up of these ancient retroviruses, which are ...

Some viruses mutate more rapidly than others. Learn more about why that is and what that means for your health.

Distinguishing between self and non-self is a critical ability of the immune system. Some pathogens have evolved proteins that resemble those of their host, a mechanism called molecular mimicry, in an ...

A study uncovers the viral gene that lets bird flu beat fever, reshaping surveillance strategies as H5N1 continues to spread.