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This Week in Virology

This Week in Virology

By: Vincent Racaniello
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 TWiV is a podcast about viruses - the kind that make you sick.Vincent Racaniello 2022 Biological Sciences Natural History Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • TWiV 1233: Long COVID and big bats

    TWiV 1233: Long COVID and big bats
    Jul 6 2025

    TWiV covers FDA Director overriding scientists on COVID shots, NIH funded science must now be free to read instantly, Trump cuts subscriptions to Springer Nature journals, UK and Gates make up for US money withdrawn from GAVI, US defunding USAID could lead to 14 million deaths by 2030, then reviews research on how host IL1 genetics regulates Epstein-Barr virus reactivation and long COVID, and enhanced antiviral capacity of bat innate immunity.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • FDA official overrides scientists on COVID shots (NYTimes)
    • NIH funded science must be immediately open access (Nature)
    • Trump cuts journal subscriptions for NIH (Science)
    • Donors make up GAVI US shortfall (Reuters)
    • USAID defunding will lead to 14 million deaths (CIDRAP)
    • SARS-CoV-2, IL1, Epstein-Barr virus and long COVID (Cell Rep)
    • Bat innate immunity (Nat Comm)
    • Letters read on TWiV 1233
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Rich – Unraveling Mendel’s final mysteries: A genomic retelling of pea genetics (Thanks, Kathy!) (Original article)
    Alan – Winners of Nature’s 2025 “Scientist at Work” photo competition
    Vincent – Signs of AI-generated text found in 14% of biomedical abstracts last year

    Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

    Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

    Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
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    1 hr and 51 mins
  • TWiV 1232: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

    TWiV 1232: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin
    Jul 5 2025
    In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin with Vincent Racaniello are shocked at how vaccine safety is undercut by misrepresenting thimerosal safety, its removal from vaccines, and how CBER director Vinay Prasad overruled his advisors for the administration of COVID vaccines to pregnant people knowingly compromising their health, before Dr. Griffin reviews recent statistics on measles epidemic, RSV, influenza and SARS-CoV-2 infections the Wasterwater Scan dashboard, whether or not the NB.1.8.1 should be included in the fall 2025 vaccines, immunization recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines, where to find PEMGARDA, provides information for Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s long COVID treatment center, where to go for answers to your long COVID questions, association of long COVID and cognitive changes as well as the development of type I diabetes and contacting your federal government representative to stop the assault on science and biomedical research. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Thimerosal and Vaccines (FDA)Thimerosal-containing vaccines and neurodevelopmental outcomes (CDC)Thimerosal and Vaccines (CDC: Vaccine safety)WHO says ‘no evidence of harm’ from thimerosal (Reuters)RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Panel Has a New Approach: Question Everything (Wall Street Journal)COVID-19 infection poses higher risk for myocarditis than vaccines (American Heart Association)Top F.D.A. Official Overrode Scientists on Covid Shots (NY Times)Who Sets the Immunization Schedule? (CDC: Vaccines for your children)Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for ages 18 years or younger (CDC) H5 bird flu: current situation (CDC: Avian Influenza)Assessing the transmissibility and outbreak risk of measles in the United States, 2024 – 2030 (JID)Proof of a measles vaccine for travelers coming from various countries, including the United States (US Embassy in Honduras)More measles outbreaks put US total within single digits of modern-day record (CIDRAP)Epidemiological Update – Measles in the Americas Region – 1 July 2025 (PAHO) Wastewater for measles (WasterWater Scan)Measles cases and outbreaks (CDC Rubeola)New Mexico announces measles outbreak in a county detention facility (AP News)Weekly measles and rubella monitoring (Government of Canada)Measles vaccine recommendations from NYP (jpg)Measles (WHO)Get the FACTS about measles (NY State Department of Health) Measles (CDC Measles (Rubeola))Measles vaccine (CDC Measles (Rubeola)) Presumptive evidence of measles immunity (CDC) Contraindications and precautions to measles vaccination (CDC)Adverse events associated with childhood vaccines: evidence bearing on causality (NLM)Measles Vaccination: Know the Facts(ISDA: Infectious Diseases Society of America)Deaths following vaccination: what does the evidence show (Vaccine)Influenza: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)Respiratory virus activity levels (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)Weekly surveillance report: clift notes (CDC FluView)Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy and Infant Influenza in the First 6 Months of Life (Obstetrics & Gynecology)Influenza vaccination in Japanese children, 2024/25: Effectiveness of inactivated vaccine and limited use of newly introduced live-attenuated vaccine (Vaccine) FDA-CDC-DOD: 2025-2046 influenza vaccine composition (FDA)RSV: Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)US respiratory virus activity (CDC Respiratory Illnesses)RSV-Network (CDC Respiratory Syncytial virus Infection)Novel Drug Approvals for 2025 (FDA)Waste water scan for 11 pathogens (WastewaterSCan)COVID-19 deaths (CDC)COVID-19 national and regional trends (CDC)Independent assessment of the origins of SARS‑CoV‑2(WHO)COVID-19 variant tracker (CDC)SARS-CoV-2 genomes galore (Nextstrain)Antigenic and Virological Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Variant BA.3.2, XFG, and NB.1.8.1 (bioRxiV)Estimated 2023-2024 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness in Adults (JAMA)RECOVID: Retrospective Observational Study of Renal Outcomes and Long-Term Mortality in Patients With COVID-19-Associated AKI, A Comparison Between Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Patients (Kidney Medicine)Where to get pemgarda (Pemgarda) EUA for the pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19 (INVIYD)Infusion center (Prime Fusions) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC)NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH)Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society)Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV)Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society)What to do when sick with a respiratory virus (CDC)Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC)Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org)Daniel Griffin’s...
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    57 mins
  • TWiV 1231: What is a virus?

    TWiV 1231: What is a virus?
    Jun 29 2025

    TWiV discusses Sen. Cassidy calling for ACIP meeting delay, RFK Jr. abandons GAVI, millions of children at risk as global vaccination rates fall, RFK Jr. grilled by Congress, autism rates have increased 60-fold due to changed definitions, deep mutational scanning of rabies virus glyoprotein, and and proton gradient and incomplete TCA cycle in a giant virus.

    Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, Brianne Barker, and Angela Mingarelli

    Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, RSS, email

    Become a patron of TWiV!

    Links for this episode
    • Support science education at MicrobeTV
    • Sen. Cassidy calls for ACIP delay (NYTimes)
    • RFK Jr. stops GAVI funding (NYTimes)
    • Global vaccination rates drop, millions of children at risk (Guardian)
    • Autism rates have increased 60-fold, here’s why (NYTimes)
    • Deep mutational scanning of rabies virus glycoprotein (Cell Host Micr)
    • Giant virus with proton gradient and partial TCA cycle (ISME J)
    • Why cells are powered by proton gradients (Scitable)
    • Timestamps by Jolene Ramsey. Thanks!
    Weekly Picks

    Angela – 27 new, exciting, and blobby species discovered in the Peruvian rainforest!
    Brianne – Encounters in the Milky Way
    Rich – Where to go for accurate, up-to-date vaccine information
    Vincent – The members of RFK Jr.’s new vaccine committee have published little on vaccines

    Listener Picks

    Charles – Vaccine Advice, Vandalized
    Ken – Golden Goose Awards

    Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

    Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

    Content in this podcast should not be construed as medical advice.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 55 mins
All stars
Most relevant  
Science first and yet entertaining.
Wonderful gang full of knowledge and joy for related topics.

Love it!

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I found TWiV through the recommendation of another podcast. Like many I am a post covid follower and I have really appreciated TWiV as a source of current and accurate information. The clinical updates with Dr. Griffin are so useful . Dr Gritting uses language that I, a custodian i.e. not a science professional am able to understand. I find the clinical updates really ease my anxieties because finally I understand what is going on around me. Sometimes the other episodes I struggle to totally follow along but I always finish having learned something I didn't know before listening. Turns out virology and immunology is quite fascinating!

Excellent Source

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You need a background in Bio to enjoy this podcast, but if you are on the in you should have a great time.

Fun team

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The content is really good and always interesting with many great guests. Good job guys!

Very good science podcast!

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I discovered TWiV during 2020 due to the desire for more accurate and unbiased information about the viruses and then stayed for the good and interesting science. I never liked biology before but have found the discussions to be reasons to get interested in not only virology but biology, microbiology, even medicine. Although I don’t understand all the science, to hear the unfamiliar multiple times made them less intimidating and I feel like I am sitting in the same room as the host and guest scientists week after week when different topics are being discussed. The weekly clinical updates are also keeping me well informed about the viruses that we should be aware of in a timely way. Love this podcast and many sister podcasts from microbe.tv

A good thing from the pandemic years

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