Blair Strang
@strangviruslab.bsky.social
City St George's, University of London.
HCMV, anti-viral drugs, placental infection, transmission, etc etc etc.
#JGV Editoral Board.
Views my own.
HCMV, anti-viral drugs, placental infection, transmission, etc etc etc.
#JGV Editoral Board.
Views my own.
Reposted by Blair Strang
Amazing journal cover for the new Trends In Microbiology special issue on geographic diversity in microbiology
www.cell.com/trends/micro...
www.cell.com/trends/micro...
November 12, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Amazing journal cover for the new Trends In Microbiology special issue on geographic diversity in microbiology
www.cell.com/trends/micro...
www.cell.com/trends/micro...
Reposted by Blair Strang
NEW PAPER!
Here is the intro to our theme issue, incl a summary of included papers and overview of key debates in the field
Increasing mechanistic understanding but little work robustly quantifying impact of CMV indirect effects on population health
We suggest a few ways forward!
#IDSky #ViroSky
Here is the intro to our theme issue, incl a summary of included papers and overview of key debates in the field
Increasing mechanistic understanding but little work robustly quantifying impact of CMV indirect effects on population health
We suggest a few ways forward!
#IDSky #ViroSky
The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection—mechanisms and consequences | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
In this introduction, we summarize the research papers, review articles, opinion pieces
and important aspects of the facilitated discussion from the meeting ‘The indirect
effects of cytomegalovirus in...
royalsocietypublishing.org
November 7, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Reposted by Blair Strang
Applications are open for the NIH-sponsored undergraduate Research Opportunities HIV RNA (ROHR) program for Summer 2026. Successful applicants will get to carry out a research project at a major university and attend a conference at the NIH. Please spread the word!
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
November 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Applications are open for the NIH-sponsored undergraduate Research Opportunities HIV RNA (ROHR) program for Summer 2026. Successful applicants will get to carry out a research project at a major university and attend a conference at the NIH. Please spread the word!
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/...
Reposted by Blair Strang
This is a very interesting study that implicates CMV seropositivity with enhanced spike-specific T cell immunity post covid vaccination.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Impact of CMV Infection and Cancer Treatment on Vaccine Efficacy in Oncology Patients
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection leaves lasting effects on the immune system, particularly shaping T-cell populations. In patients with advanced cancer, persistent CMV exposure may influence vaccine re...
www.medrxiv.org
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 PM
This is a very interesting study that implicates CMV seropositivity with enhanced spike-specific T cell immunity post covid vaccination.
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Blair Strang
BBC News - Experts say this could be the worst flu season for a decade - here's why
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Will a new mutated flu strain cause a rough winter?
Leading flu experts say they will not be surprised if this year's is the worst flu season for a decade.
www.bbc.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:13 PM
BBC News - Experts say this could be the worst flu season for a decade - here's why
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Blair Strang
I think about this post every day 🧪
November 7, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I think about this post every day 🧪
Reposted by Blair Strang
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by Blair Strang
NEW JOURNAL ISSUE!
The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection: mechanisms and consequences
Enjoyed editing this with Helen Payne and @strangviruslab.bsky.social
Includes protocol for NIRVANA trial, which is getting started in Uganda and South Africa
#idsky #virosky
The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection: mechanisms and consequences
Enjoyed editing this with Helen Payne and @strangviruslab.bsky.social
Includes protocol for NIRVANA trial, which is getting started in Uganda and South Africa
#idsky #virosky
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences: Vol 380, No 1938
share.google
November 6, 2025 at 10:49 AM
NEW JOURNAL ISSUE!
The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection: mechanisms and consequences
Enjoyed editing this with Helen Payne and @strangviruslab.bsky.social
Includes protocol for NIRVANA trial, which is getting started in Uganda and South Africa
#idsky #virosky
The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection: mechanisms and consequences
Enjoyed editing this with Helen Payne and @strangviruslab.bsky.social
Includes protocol for NIRVANA trial, which is getting started in Uganda and South Africa
#idsky #virosky
For all bunyavirus enthusiasts out there:
@alainkohlvirology.bsky.social
@clive-mckimmie.bsky.social
@cvrinfo.bsky.social
@alainkohlvirology.bsky.social
@clive-mckimmie.bsky.social
@cvrinfo.bsky.social
A system to rapidly develop a bunyavirus pseudotyped virus neutralisation assay for pandemic preparedness
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A system to rapidly develop a bunyavirus pseudotyped virus neutralisation assay for pandemic preparedness - npj Vaccines
npj Vaccines - A system to rapidly develop a bunyavirus pseudotyped virus neutralisation assay for pandemic preparedness
www.nature.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:55 PM
For all bunyavirus enthusiasts out there:
@alainkohlvirology.bsky.social
@clive-mckimmie.bsky.social
@cvrinfo.bsky.social
@alainkohlvirology.bsky.social
@clive-mckimmie.bsky.social
@cvrinfo.bsky.social
Reposted by Blair Strang
Delighted to share that the remarkable work of Qing Yao, with contributions from my group and many others, has been published in Nature Microbiology. 🧪 #cryoEM
This study reveals, for the first time, the structure of the binding pocket of HSV helicase-primase inhibitors and their mode of action.
This study reveals, for the first time, the structure of the binding pocket of HSV helicase-primase inhibitors and their mode of action.
Structural and mechanistic insights into herpesvirus helicase–primase and its therapeutic inhibitors - Nature Microbiology
The cryo-EM structure of the herpes simplex virus helicase–primase (HP) complex informs about the mechanism of action of HP inhibitors pritelivir and amenamevir, which are drugs of clinical relevance.
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Delighted to share that the remarkable work of Qing Yao, with contributions from my group and many others, has been published in Nature Microbiology. 🧪 #cryoEM
This study reveals, for the first time, the structure of the binding pocket of HSV helicase-primase inhibitors and their mode of action.
This study reveals, for the first time, the structure of the binding pocket of HSV helicase-primase inhibitors and their mode of action.
Reposted by Blair Strang
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
November 3, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Nature suggests you use their "Manuscript Adviser" bot to get advice before submitting
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
I uploaded the classic Watson & Crick paper about DNA structure, and the Adviser had this to say about one of the greatest paper endings of the century:
Reposted by Blair Strang
Delighted to announce that we have a PhD project, subject to competition, on targeting and understanding the envelope protein ion channel from SARS2, and extending our understanding to pan-CoV therapeutics...
Funded by MRC DiMeN with sophion as partners.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Funded by MRC DiMeN with sophion as partners.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Plugging the holes in pandemic coronavirus therapy at University of Leeds on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - MRC DiMeN Doctoral Training Partnership: Plugging the holes in pandemic coronavirus therapy at University of Leeds, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Delighted to announce that we have a PhD project, subject to competition, on targeting and understanding the envelope protein ion channel from SARS2, and extending our understanding to pan-CoV therapeutics...
Funded by MRC DiMeN with sophion as partners.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Funded by MRC DiMeN with sophion as partners.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Blair Strang
We've just launched the first large, site-less (home, direct to participant) randomized trial for treatment of #LongCovid, testing tirzepatide (a GLP-1 drug) vs placebo. Please help spread the word
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
Scripps Research scientists launch new digital clinical trial to test repurposed drug for long COVID symptom relief
www.scripps.edu
October 31, 2025 at 5:07 PM
We've just launched the first large, site-less (home, direct to participant) randomized trial for treatment of #LongCovid, testing tirzepatide (a GLP-1 drug) vs placebo. Please help spread the word
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
www.scripps.edu/news-and-eve...
Just as Moderna back away from HCMV vaccine development, this is out.
A somewhat narrow view, relying on papers from the Nature Group. But, many worthwhile points👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A somewhat narrow view, relying on papers from the Nature Group. But, many worthwhile points👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The complex path towards herpesvirus vaccines - Nature Microbiology
Herpesviruses cause a high disease burden, yet vaccines are lacking. Developing efficacious vaccines remains challenging and more research is needed to address this unmet public health priority.
www.nature.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Just as Moderna back away from HCMV vaccine development, this is out.
A somewhat narrow view, relying on papers from the Nature Group. But, many worthwhile points👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A somewhat narrow view, relying on papers from the Nature Group. But, many worthwhile points👇
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
If you have any appropriate applicants looking for a PhD post, please send them this way👇
They will not be disappointed.
They will not be disappointed.
New PhD opportunity! Can skin inflammation protect us from mosquito-borne viruses like Zika?
Join our MRC PhD project at York exploring how psoriasis and eczema change skin immunity to virus.
Our grads thrive in academia, biotech & beyond.
Apply now 👉 tinyurl.com/bfmd2rf4
Join our MRC PhD project at York exploring how psoriasis and eczema change skin immunity to virus.
Our grads thrive in academia, biotech & beyond.
Apply now 👉 tinyurl.com/bfmd2rf4
November 1, 2025 at 12:14 PM
If you have any appropriate applicants looking for a PhD post, please send them this way👇
They will not be disappointed.
They will not be disappointed.
Reposted by Blair Strang
The key thing re. Moderna and other companies in the same situation - when the next pandemic hits, which it will, they won't be there to save us.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
1. Looking for weekend reads? Can't do better than these by my uber-talented @statnews.com colleagues @jasonmast.bsky.social & @lizzylawrence.bsky.social.
First, Jason's indepth look at #Moderna's transition from pandemic savior to company with significant problems. www.statnews.com/2025/10/30/m...
First, Jason's indepth look at #Moderna's transition from pandemic savior to company with significant problems. www.statnews.com/2025/10/30/m...
How Moderna, the company that helped save the world, unraveled
Exclusive: The inside story of why Moderna now faces a crisis unlike any in its 15-year-history.
www.statnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:23 PM
The key thing re. Moderna and other companies in the same situation - when the next pandemic hits, which it will, they won't be there to save us.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
The same will be true for scientists and other responders who immediately stood up in the face of a devastating pandemic - they too will be gone.
Reposted by Blair Strang
Monumental effort led by Peter Simmonds and Jens Kuhn to reorganize the Family Flaviviridae based on analysis of RNA-directed RNA polymerase (RdRP) hallmark gene sequences is finally out. Enjoy reading. #ICTV @utmbhealth.bsky.social @astmh.bsky.social @sbvirologia.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Monumental effort led by Peter Simmonds and Jens Kuhn to reorganize the Family Flaviviridae based on analysis of RNA-directed RNA polymerase (RdRP) hallmark gene sequences is finally out. Enjoy reading. #ICTV @utmbhealth.bsky.social @astmh.bsky.social @sbvirologia.bsky.social
Reposted by Blair Strang
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Proud of my group and collaborators for this work published today in Nature Medicine. We find Cytomegalovirus, which has a profound impact on T cell immunity, is associated with distinct clinical outcomes in patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy for melanoma.
Proud of my group and collaborators for this work published today in Nature Medicine. We find Cytomegalovirus, which has a profound impact on T cell immunity, is associated with distinct clinical outcomes in patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy for melanoma.
CMV serostatus is associated with improved survival and delayed toxicity onset following anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade - Nature Medicine
Analysis of multiple cohorts of patients with melanoma demonstrates a positive association between cytomegalovirus serostatus and overall survival in patients treated with monotherapy but not combinat...
www.nature.com
April 23, 2025 at 11:11 AM
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Proud of my group and collaborators for this work published today in Nature Medicine. We find Cytomegalovirus, which has a profound impact on T cell immunity, is associated with distinct clinical outcomes in patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy for melanoma.
Proud of my group and collaborators for this work published today in Nature Medicine. We find Cytomegalovirus, which has a profound impact on T cell immunity, is associated with distinct clinical outcomes in patients receiving checkpoint immunotherapy for melanoma.
Reposted by Blair Strang
🧵Remember the preprint claiming SARS-CoV-2 has a "synthetic fingerprint"?
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
October 29, 2025 at 7:32 AM
🧵Remember the preprint claiming SARS-CoV-2 has a "synthetic fingerprint"?
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
It said a restriction map was "extremely unlikely to have arisen by random evolution.”
I took its claims seriously.
The "synthetic fingerprint" hypothesis collapses. My new preprint explains why.
arxiv.org/abs/2510.23833
Reposted by Blair Strang
Really nice historical paper (possibly one for the virus afficianados) on the progression of plaque assays from bacteriophage to influenza via Macfarlane Burnet's work on embryonated chicken eggs: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
From plaques to pocks: carrying over bacteriophage assay techniques to the study of influenza and other animal viruses | Medical History | Cambridge Core
From plaques to pocks: carrying over bacteriophage assay techniques to the study of influenza and other animal viruses
www.cambridge.org
October 29, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Really nice historical paper (possibly one for the virus afficianados) on the progression of plaque assays from bacteriophage to influenza via Macfarlane Burnet's work on embryonated chicken eggs: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Reposted by Blair Strang
The plural of anecdote is misinformation.
October 25, 2025 at 3:58 AM
The plural of anecdote is misinformation.
Reposted by Blair Strang
A paper in Nature reports that mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors. #medsky 🧪
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint blockade - Nature
mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
go.nature.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:03 PM
A paper in Nature reports that mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, also sensitize tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors. #medsky 🧪
This is very cool👇
What’s this picornavirus and where does it come from?
@connorggbamford.bsky.social ?
What’s this picornavirus and where does it come from?
@connorggbamford.bsky.social ?
Help me out, I’ve got another wastewater virus mystery.
This one really blows my mind.
1/
This one really blows my mind.
1/
October 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
This is very cool👇
What’s this picornavirus and where does it come from?
@connorggbamford.bsky.social ?
What’s this picornavirus and where does it come from?
@connorggbamford.bsky.social ?
A really lovely study and a possible sign of things to come: I suspect pig editing will become increasingly popular (…and whoever starts selling pig reagents might make some cash!)
DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses www.cell.com/trends/biote...
DNAJC14 gene-edited pigs are resistant to classical pestiviruses
CRISPR/Cas9 editing of pig DNAJC14 resulted in animals that were completely resistant
to in vivo challenge with classical swine fever virus, highlighting the pivotal role
of this host protein in class...
www.cell.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:15 PM
A really lovely study and a possible sign of things to come: I suspect pig editing will become increasingly popular (…and whoever starts selling pig reagents might make some cash!)
Reposted by Blair Strang
Had an entertaining discussion with Chris and Matt about my book, gurus, media manipulators and how it all fits with the current attacks on science and scientists by the MAGA movement and beyond.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrsV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrsV...
Lab Leak Fever with Philipp Markolin
YouTube video by Decoding the Gurus
www.youtube.com
October 18, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Had an entertaining discussion with Chris and Matt about my book, gurus, media manipulators and how it all fits with the current attacks on science and scientists by the MAGA movement and beyond.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrsV...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrsV...